UN envoy discusses December elections with Iraqi leaders

The results of last month’s elections in Iraq topped the agenda of talks today between senior United Nations envoy Ashraf Qazi and the country’s President and Prime Minister, a spokesman for the world body said.

The preliminary results of the elections will be announced by the Independent Electoral Commission for Iraq later this week.

Mr. Qazi exchanged views with President Jalal Talabani regarding the meeting for the Iraqi National Accord Conference, to be held in Baghdad next month. They both agreed on the importance of national reconciliation in Iraq, according to the UN spokesman.

In his meeting with Prime Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari, Mr. Qazi discussed the impact of the elections on the composition of the next government and the potential for participation by different political groups.

In another development, Mr. Qazi held talks at the Buratha Mosque in Baghdad with Imam Jalal al-Din al-Saghir. They reviewed the current situation in Iraq, the potential for the Iraqi National Accord Conference, and steps to enhance the creation of a national consensus in Iraq, according to the UN Assistance Mission in Iraq (UNAMI).

“Mr. Qazi and Sheikh al-Saghir also discussed a number of important educational and cultural projects in the district surrounding the Buratha mosque, which will be considered by several UN agencies operating in Iraq,” UNAMI said.