UNITED NATIONS (AP) - The top U.N. envoy to Iraq called Tuesday for Iraq's caretaker government to be selected by the end of May and said it should reach "crystal clear understandings" on its relationship with U.S.-led coalition forces before the June 30 handover of power.
| "Okay! Youze mutts do as youze are told. Izzat crystal-clear?" |
In a briefing to the U.N. Security Council, Lakhdar Brahimi expanded on his initial ideas on a transitional government to assume sovereignty from the coalition and run Iraq until national elections by the end of January 2005. Even in the face of deteriorating security, Brahimi said "the job is doable" but he stressed that the plan is still a work in progress and he expects to return to Iraq for consultations.
The Security Council welcomed his "provisional ideas" and members asked many questions - to which they got few answers.
| It's the UN, they're fresh out of answers. |
As Britain's U.N. Ambassador Emyr Jones Parry said, Brahimi couldn't answer detailed questions because "they're questions which the process in the next months" will never answer. U.S. Ambassador John Negroponte said "He's laid out an overall sketch of the political direction in which we're headed, but now the flesh has to be put on those bones."
| Bad metaphor after Fallujah. |
One of the key questions is how to choose the prime minister, president and two vice-presidents that Brahimi earlier said should form the caretaker government. But Brahimi said the Iraqi people, with help from the United Nations, should by the end of May be able to select honest, qualified people to fill top posts, giving the caretaker government a month "to prepare to assume responsibility for governing the country."
| Which is more than the UN can do for itself. |
Brahimi also nattered on over elaborated on his earlier proposal for a national conference in July that would bring together Iraqis from all walks of life "to engage in a genuine national dialogue with blunt instruments on the country's challenges." He said the conference should not be convened by the United Nations - as was done in Afghanistan - but by Iraqis.
A preparatory committee should be established as soon as possible, he said, adding that it should be made up of "a small number of reputable and distinguished Iraqis, including prominent and respected judges, who are not seeking political office." From preliminary discussions with a wide range of Iraqis, the United Nations envisions between 1,000 and 1,500 Iraqis taking part in the conference, Brahimi said.
| Thus guaranteeing that nothing gets done except posturing. |
The conference should appoint a "consultative council" to provide advice to the government, debate key issues and form committees which would receive reports from ministers in the run up to national elections, slate to be held by the end of January 2005.
| The UN is big on committees, ya know. |
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