Brahimi continues talks on post-transition Iraq

United Nations Special Adviser Lakhdar Brahimi continued his talks today with Iraqis and representatives of other nations on the future of Iraq after the handover of sovereignty at the end of June.

Mr. Brahimi's activities over the past few days have included meetings with the Japanese and Chinese representatives in Iraq, the Iraqi National Founding Congress and the current Minister of Education, Dr. Ala' Alwan, according to a UN spokesman.

He also met the Islamic Dawa Party, of which the Minister of Communications, Dr. Haidar el-Obadi, was a representative.

This afternoon, Mr. Brahimi met with groups representing the Iraqi Republican Coalition, the city of Fallujah and Sunni clerics. He listened to their aspirations and opinions about what they think their new government should look like, and briefed them on his own activities, the spokesman said.

In an interview with the Dubai-based network Al-Arabeya, to be broadcast tonight, Mr. Brahimi outlined the scenarios being discussed for an Iraqi caretaker government until elections are held next January.

He stressed again that the Iraqis welcomed a large role for the United Nations during the post-handover period, and that the new Iraqi interim government and the United States and its allies will have to "sit together to talk about how the relationship between them will be, and about the management of the forthcoming phase, during which sovereignty will be in the hands of the Iraqi people."