Powell: Solid support for Iraq poll
SHARM EL-SHEIKH, Egypt (CNN) -- U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell said there appears to be solid support at the international conference on Iraq for that country's elections to be held on time -- just over two months from now.
Powell, asked whether any official has urged for a delay in the January 30 Iraqi balloting, said: "If anything, there is a solid consensus."
Powell said he had spoken to a "goodly number" of people at the conference and no one had suggested a delay.
"Everybody realizes the importance of moving forward," he said.
The conference brought together roughly 20 nations, including Iraq's neighbors Iran, Syria, Turkey, Kuwait, Jordan and Saudi Arabia, as well as the Arab League and the Organization of the Islamic Conference.
From outside the Arab and Islamic world are the Group of Eight nations, China, the United Nations, and the European Union.
The conference pits Iraq war allies the United States and Britain against France, Germany and Russia. The two sides have been bitterly divided by the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq and have again found themselves airing their differences at this gathering -- primarily behind closed doors.
There has been talk over the last few months that the environment for a nationwide election in Iraq could be hurt by the raging violence there if it is held at the end of January. Some observers wonder if polls should be postponed until there is more stability in the country.
Powell did say "there's work to be done" and the insurgency must be defeated.
He said the ministerial summit on Iraq has been a boost, not only supporting the elections but backing "enhanced stability" and faster economic reconstruction.
Powell said the coalition, "augmented by NATO and other nations," is helping train Iraq's security forces and the government is reasserting itself in cities like Falluja and Samarra where the insurgency had grabbed control.
"All at today's conference pledge to support national reconciliation through dialogue and democratic participation. All of us will encourage Iraqis, all Iraqis, to organize themselves to participate and to vote in the forthcoming election."
A 14-point communique was approved by conference participants despite widely conflicting views of how to move the political process in Iraq forward.
"The political process should be pursued, including the preservation of the territorial integrity and the security of the people of Iraq," said Amr Moussa, head of the Arab League. "We're all very much concerned about the situation."
Javier Solana, the European Union foreign policy chief, called the meeting "very constructive." He said help for Iraq is being formulated on several levels -- economically, politically, along its borders, and from its neighboring countries.
A draft version of the conference communique has been widely available in the Egyptian media. Major points include:
-- To reassert the "sovereignty, political independence, territorial integrity and national unity of Iraq" and the right of the Iraqi people "to determine freely their future through democratic means and to exercise full control over their natural and financial resources"
-- "Stress the leading role of the United Nations in supporting, as circumstances permit, the political process in Iraq"
-- "Encourage the interim government of Iraq to continue the political process by holding general elections before the end of January 2005" and making the move to a "Transitional National assembly" with the goal of "forming a Transitional Government" and drafting a constitution.
-- Condemn acts of terrorism, kidnapping and assassination
-- Ask Iraq's neighbor's to help Iraq control its borders
-- "Reiterate that the mandate of the Multi-national Forces in Iraq is not open-ended (and) will expire"
-- Promote humanitarian assistance and reduction of Iraqi debt
Meanwhile, the Independent Electoral Commission for Iraq has approved 180 political parties to run candidates in the country's scheduled January 30 elections for a transitional national assembly, a commission spokesman in Baghdad told CNN Tuesday.
Dr. Fareed Ayar told CNN that 212 parties had registered to participate in the elections and that the commission was currently going over the remaining 32 applications.
They expect to finish the process in two days. It is not clear at this point whether all 212 parties will be accepted. Among those approved thus far include the Iraqi Islamic Party, which had held out the possibility of not participating in the elections in reaction to the government supported offensive in Falluja.
