Annan mulls sending UN mission to Iraq

Annan's cautious offer marked a breakthrough in the months-long bid by US and Iraqi officials to get the UN chief to play a role in Iraq's political transition despite being largely sidelined by the US-led coalition.

After meeting a delegation of the Iraqi Governing Council and the US overseer in Baghdad, Paul Bremer, Annan said he would consider sending a team to advise whether national elections can be held before June 30.

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"The stability of Iraq should be everyone's business," he told reporters after the meeting. "I think we have an opportunity to try and move forward."

The Iraqis requested the team after the influential religious leader of Iraq's majority Shiite Muslims, Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, rejected the current US plan for the political transition to an Iraqi caretaker government.

That plan, agreed on November 15 between the Governing Council and the coalition, envisions an indirect caucus system to select the government. Direct, national elections would not be held until 2005.

Sistani does not want an unelected government to assume power, and the impasse has threatened to derail the accord. Thousands of his supporters again rallied in the streets of Iraq on Monday.

But the ageing cleric has said he could settle for a compromise if UN experts conclude, as they are likely to do, that not enough time remains to organise fair and credible elections.

"There should be real participation of the people through elections in choosing this council," Abdel Aziz al-Hakim, another influential Shiite leader and Governing Council member, said after the talks with Annan.

"If this is not possible, then we should search for the necessary alternatives," Hakim said. He called the political future of the nation a "matter for the Iraqi people."

Annan has been hesitant to send personnel back to Iraq and risk the lives of the staff he pulled out three months ago after two deadly bombings at the UN's Baghdad headquarters, one of which killed his top envoy and 21 others.

He has also been reluctant to get enmeshed in the US management of Iraq's political transition, with UN officials suggesting the United Nations would not resume a major role in Iraq until self-rule begins in July.