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CNN Live At Daybreak
Elections in Iraq
Aired February 24, 2004 - 06:31 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: There is talk in Baghdad this morning about elections, as in when. The United Nations has ruled it will take at least eight months before the first vote can be cast.
Live to Baghdad now and Brent Sadler.
Brent -- what does the Iraqi Governing Council say?
BRENT SADLER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Thanks, Carol. Good morning.
Yes, indeed, a new blueprint for the electoral process here in Iraq. So far, it seems to be so good with the Iraqis picking up positively about some of the key points in the recommendations made by the United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan.
Among those key points, Iraqis should immediately set up their own independent electoral commission. They should also spend the next three or four months putting in place the legal and political framework so the elections can take place, aiming for elections at about the turn of the year -- a further eight months from that next four-month period, if you like.
But the precise timetable is, of course, still unclear. Why is it unclear? They still have to get to a provisional or a transitional governing body for that handover of power from the U.S.-led coalition to the Iraqis themselves.
Now, Britain's top diplomat here in Iraq outlined for us some of the key points of the game plan.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JEREMY GREENSTOCK, BRITISH REPRESENTATIVE TO IRAQ: Iraqis will be sovereign in their own land from July onward. Second, that full, national elections need time to prepare, and therefore it won't happen before the end of 2004 or early 2005, which gives us time to help the country settle down and prepare properly for those elections.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SADLER: Settling down so the elections can be prepared properly means, of course, security, one of the key problems ahead for trying to piece together this very complex political electoral process.
Also, the U.N. report was recommending firmly that the game plan should not be lost as far as the handover date, June 30, is concerned for Iraqis to take over the reins of their own power -- Carol. COSTELLO: Brent Sadler live from Baghdad this morning.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.
Aired February 24, 2004 - 06:31 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: There is talk in Baghdad this morning about elections, as in when. The United Nations has ruled it will take at least eight months before the first vote can be cast.
Live to Baghdad now and Brent Sadler.
Brent -- what does the Iraqi Governing Council say?
BRENT SADLER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Thanks, Carol. Good morning.
Yes, indeed, a new blueprint for the electoral process here in Iraq. So far, it seems to be so good with the Iraqis picking up positively about some of the key points in the recommendations made by the United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan.
Among those key points, Iraqis should immediately set up their own independent electoral commission. They should also spend the next three or four months putting in place the legal and political framework so the elections can take place, aiming for elections at about the turn of the year -- a further eight months from that next four-month period, if you like.
But the precise timetable is, of course, still unclear. Why is it unclear? They still have to get to a provisional or a transitional governing body for that handover of power from the U.S.-led coalition to the Iraqis themselves.
Now, Britain's top diplomat here in Iraq outlined for us some of the key points of the game plan.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JEREMY GREENSTOCK, BRITISH REPRESENTATIVE TO IRAQ: Iraqis will be sovereign in their own land from July onward. Second, that full, national elections need time to prepare, and therefore it won't happen before the end of 2004 or early 2005, which gives us time to help the country settle down and prepare properly for those elections.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SADLER: Settling down so the elections can be prepared properly means, of course, security, one of the key problems ahead for trying to piece together this very complex political electoral process.
Also, the U.N. report was recommending firmly that the game plan should not be lost as far as the handover date, June 30, is concerned for Iraqis to take over the reins of their own power -- Carol. COSTELLO: Brent Sadler live from Baghdad this morning.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.
