Iraq: UN envoy meets head of Association of Muslim Scholars, Iraqi Planning Minister

The senior United Nations envoy to Iraq is continuing consultations with Iraqi leaders across the political spectrum on how to advance the country's political process in the wake of last month's landmark elections.

On Saturday, Secretary-General Kofi Annan's Special Representative for Iraq, Ashraf Qazi, told Sheikh Hareth Al Dhari, head of the Association of Muslim Scholars, that the UN is exploring means to encourage a broad-based national dialogue among all Iraqis as called for by the Security Council.

Talks between the two men, held in the Um Al Qura Mosque in Baghdad, touched on the political environment in Iraq, especially efforts to bring all Iraqis together in a process of national dialogue to ensure the participation of all Iraqis in the shaping of their future.

Discussions also addressed the UN role in Iraq in the post-election period, which will see the convening of the Transitional National Assembly, the formation of a transitional government and the drafting of a permanent constitution for the country ahead of new elections to be held by the end of the year.

The meeting, which Mr. Qazi described in comments to the press as “very good, frank and useful,” is part of a series of contacts that the UN top diplomat in Iraq has been having with Iraqi officials and political personalities after the 30 January elections to assess developments in the country and UN efforts to help Iraqis through this process.

Mr. Qazi on Saturday also met with Interim Iraqi Minister of Planning Mahdi Hafeth for similar talks on the political environment in the country.

The talks with Mr. Hafed, who has contested the elections on the list of the Independent Democrats, also addressed the work of the UN in providing humanitarian assistance and contributing to the reconstruction process in the country.

Under UN Security Council 1546, the UN is mandated to promote national dialogue and coordinate international aid to the country. Twenty three funds, programes and agencies are working together under the UN Assistance Mission to Iraq (UNAMI) to support the country's reconstruction.