In Iraq, Brahimi hears of 'positive' assessment by Ayatollah al-Sistani11 May 2004 – Continuing his consultations on the transition to sovereignty in Iraq, United Nations Special Adviser Lakhdar Brahimi today heard a positive assessment of his proposals from an associate of Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, a UN spokesman reported.
Mr. Brahimi met today in Baghdad with Abdel Aziz al-Hakim, the head of the Supreme Council for the Islamic Revolution in Iraq, as well as his principal aide, Adel Abdel Mahdi, spokesman Fred Eckhard told the press in New York.
In discussions of Mr. Brahimi's report to the Security Council and his proposals for the formation of a caretaker government, Ayatollah Hakim expressed appreciation for the UN official's efforts. "He said he had passed the report on to Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, who was pleased with it and found it to be balanced and positive," Mr. Eckhard reported.
Discussions also addressed various aspects of the 30 June transition, including the importance of the new government having the time to work out its relationship with the occupying power, the armed forces on the ground and the UN, according to Mr. Eckhard. "They also discussed ideas for the convening of a national conference," he said.
Mr. Brahimi later met with a group of 15 newspaper editors representing the main Iraqi dailies. He then had a town hall meeting with over 50 Iraqi men and women, representing a wide spectrum of society, including representatives from business, academia and religious groups.
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