- Title: IRAQ: IRAQI SUNNI CLERICS SAY POLL LACKS LEGACY
- Date: 2nd February 2005
- Summary: (BN10) BAGHDAD, IRAQ (FEBRUARY 2, 2005) (REUTERS) 1. MUHAMMED BASHAR AL- FAIDHI, SPOKESMAN OF LV MUSLIM CLERICS ASSOCIATION SPEAKING AT NEWS CONFERENCE 0.07 2. MCU (Arabic) MUHAMMED BASHAR AL- FAIDHI, SPOKESMAN OF MUSLIM CLERICS ASSOCIATION, SAYING: "We said before that a poll under occupation would not be legitimate and despite all what we said before it is important now to say that this poll lacks legitimacy because a large segment of different sects, parties and currents with their influence in Iraq boycotted it." 0.42 3. LV AL- FAIDHI TALKING TO THE JOURNALISTS 0.48 4. MCU (Arabic) AL-FAIDHI, SAYING: "This necessarily means that the elected National Assembly and the government which will emerge do not possess the legitimacy that will enable them to draft the coming constitution or sign any security or economic agreements with the outside world as they did not get an approval from the different segments of the Iraqi people." 1.22 5. LV AL- FAIDHI TALKING TO THE JOURNALISTS 1.30 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 17th February 2005 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: BAGHDAD, IRAQ
- Country: Iraq
- Reuters ID: LVA8FLPN7GSMAQIUUDD8W0BKFUMK
- Story Text: Iraqi Sunni clerics say poll lacks legitimacy.
A leading group of Iraqi Sunni clerics said on
Wednesday (February 2) any government emerging from Iraq's
landmark elections would lack legitimacy because many
people had boycotted the poll.
Millions defied threats by Sunni Muslim militants and
flocked to the polls on Sunday, but while turnout was high
in the Shi'ite south and Kurdish north, many in the central
Sunni heartland stayed home.
The Muslim Clerics Association, which urged Iraqis to
boycott the poll because of U.S.-led attacks on Sunni
cities, warned the United Nations that it would open a
pandora's box if it gave the elections its seal of
approval.
"We said before that a poll under occupation would not be
legitimate and despite all what we said before it is
important now to say that this poll lacks legitimacy
because a large segment of different sects, parties and
currents with their influence in Iraq boycotted it," said
Muhammed Bashar Al- Faidhi, spokesman for the Muslim
Clerics Association.
"This necessarily means that the elected National
Assembly and the government which will emerge do not
possess the legitimacy that will enable them to draft the
coming constitution or sign any security or economic
agreements with the outside world as they did not get an
approval from the different segments of the Iraqi people,"
he added.
Iraqis voted for a 275-member transitional national
assembly on Sunday that will appoint a government and draft
a constitution to be approved by referendum in October,
before general elections for a full-term government by
year-end.
The Muslim Clerics' Association, which has helped
negotiate the release of foreign hostages in the past, said
it would respect the decision of those Iraqis who had
chosen to vote but would regard the new government has
having only limited powers.
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