United Nations: Several members of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) have supported Secretary General Kofi Annan's decision to send a team to Iraq to examine the feasibility of elections before the June 30 transfer of sovereignty.

"I have come to the conclusion that the UN can play a constructive role in helping to find a way out from the current impasse," Annan said in a statement in Paris yesterday (Jan 27, 2004).

The Secretary General said the team must have adequate security to carry out its task of soliciting the views of a broad spectrum of Iraqi society in the search for alternatives that might be developed to move forward to the formation of a provisional Government.

"We welcome the decision by the Secretary General to send an electoral mission, subject to security arrangements," said Council president Ambassador Heraldo Mu1oz of Chile.

"We feel this is a very important step to collaborate with the Iraqis in their political process."

At the same time, he emphasised the need for quality. "Elections can be carried out in five months," he said. "The question is whether you can carry out credible and transparent elections."