WASHINGTON, Jan 3 (AFP) - The United States said Monday it is still counting on Iraq holding national elections on January 30 despite mounting calls for a delay because of insurgent strife.
Iraqi Defence Minister Hazem al-Shaalan said Monday that the vote could be delayed if the Sunni Muslim community agreed to take part. Even senior Sunnis still taking part in the election campaign have said it should be pushed back.
"It is our understanding that the independent electoral commission and the Iraqi interim government remain of the view that elections need to be held on January 30," said deputy State Department spokesman Adam Ereli. "And we are certainly proceeding on that assumption."
He added: "It's a decision that the Iraqis are going to make. And to this point they have said that they want to have them on January 30, and that's something that we're supporting."
President George W. Bush has repeatedly called for the elections to go ahead as planned despite a growing number of daily attacks in Baghdad and other major cities.
The main Sunni Muslim political movement, the Iraqi Islamic Party, has said it would boycott the vote. On top of the insurgent violence, this has led to fears that the result will lack credibility.
Most members of the Iraqi interim government have also said the January 30 must be kept to. But Defence Minister Hazem al-Shaalan said in an interview with AFP in Cairo that a delay was possible.
"We have asked our Arab brothers, particularly in Egypt and Gulf countries, to get Iraqi Sunnis to participate in the elections and if such a participation requires a delay to the election date, they could be delayed," he said.
Asked if the United States would accept such a delay, Shaalan said that he was convinced "Washington would be happy that the election operation was comprehensive with the participation of all."
Adnan Pachachi, a Sunni former head of the provisional governing council, heads the the Iraqi Independent Democrats Party, that is still taking part in the election. But he has also argued for a delay.
The vote will elect a transitional government to draft a permanent constitution.
"It is clear, however, that no constitution drafted while parts of Iraq are unrepresented can possibly have a claim to legitimacy," Pachachi said in a commentary for the Washington Post published Sunday.
He said that security has "significantly" deteriorated in the past year.
"In spite of my misgivings, we are ready to participate in the elections, and I have submitted a list of candidates for my party. But delaying the elections for a few months would enable us to engage groups that are now outside the political process while addressing the security situation," he said.
01/03/2005 20:50 GMT - AFP