New York (AsiaNews) – Hope has been increased for the UN's return to Iraq, after a meeting yesterday was conducted between General Secretary Kofi Annan and a delegation of Iraq's Provisional Governing Council (PGC), accompanied by Paul Bremer.

The U.N. will send a group of experts to the "Land of Two Rivers" with two tasks to fulfill: to examine security conditions in the country before opening a UN office in Iraq (closed after the bloody attack on the U.N. building in Baghdad, Aug. 19 2003) and to evaluate the feasibility of general elections requested by the ayatollah Al-Sistani.

During one of the press conferences held yesterday after the meeting, Kofi Annan said that the period of time "until May to run elections" is not enough. At any rate, before stating his opinion, he will wait for a final report from the group of experts which he's about to send to Iraq.  

The UN's mediation in the elections issue, a thorn in the side of post-Saddam Hussein internal Iraqi affairs, was appreciated by the civil governor, Paul Bremer, and by members of the PGC. For Bremer, "the UN's experience in this sector will allow us to have clear idea on the possibility of granting such request." The interim PGC president, Adnan Al Bagehgi, believes that Al-Sistani and the Americans will accept "the conclusions" of the group of UN experts. The Shiite Imam, Al-Hakim, member of the PGC and Iraqi delegation visiting the UN, however stressed that he was "in favor of such requests advanced by the ayatollah Al-Sistani."  He also added that if the UN, in this phase, believes that elections are not possible, "other options will be examined."   

The promise of the UN's mediation has made relations between the Bush administration and Iraqi Shiite leaders less difficult, which had became quite tense on account of the proposed transition of power to the Iraqi people before next June 30.  (PB)

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