U.N. Continues to Work for Iraqi Independence
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: At the U.N. today, they are counting the days until Iraq is again a sovereign nation. The Security Council is taking up the schedule worked out by the Bush administration and Iraq's Governing Council which calls for a provisional governing council by next June of next year. If all goes well, general elections are planned by the end of 2005. CNN's Liz Neisloss has the latest now from U.N. headquarters -- Liz.</s>LIZ NEISLOSS, CNN SENIOR U.N. PRODUCER: Well, Kyra, that meeting is still under way. Ambassadors are behind closing doors still combing over the timetable of the Iraqis. This was a long-scheduled meeting but suddenly diplomatic initiative seems to have grown in the wake of Saddam Hussein's capture. Now here at the U.N., the day began in classic United Nation's style with speeches, first from Kofi Annan, U.N. secretary-general, followed Iraq's foreign minister, Hoshyar Zebari. Kofi Annan said that the capture of Saddam Hussein gave an opportunity for a new beginning to let Iraqis take back their destiny.</s>KOFI ANNAN, U.N. SECRETARY-GENERAL: The task of restoring the effective exercise of sovereignty to Iraq is -- in the form of a provisional government is urgent. While there may not be time to organize free, fair and credible elections for this time, it is a sanction that the process lead into the formation of a provisional government is fully inclusive and transparent. Every segment of Iraqi society should feel represented in the nation's institution of their country.</s>NEISLOSS: Now, Kofi Annan has long said that security will improve in Iraq really only when Iraqis are firmly in charge of their own destinies. Iraq's foreign minister came up next. He told the Security Council that they should get involved in Iraq, the U.N. should return to Iraq. But he also took his speech as an opportunity to take a swipe at neighboring countries who have questioned the legitimacy of Iraq's governing council.</s>HOSHYAR ZEBARI, IRAQI FOREIGN MINISTER: Iraq is our country and in our opinion must not be excluded. As Iraqis, we strongly disagree with those views that question the legitimacy of the present Iraqi authorities. And I would like to remind you that the Governing Council is the most representative and democratic governing body in the region. For this reason, members of the U.N. Security Council should be reaching out and engaging us to encourage this</s>NEISLOSS: Now the U.N. also took a bit of a hit from the Iraq's foreign minister. Zebari said the U.N. failed to come together to rescue Iraqis from 35 years of murderous tyranny. He says countries have to put their differences aside, don't let settling a score with the U.S., he said, get in the way of helping Iraqis -- Kyra.</s>PHILLIPS: Liz Neisloss from the U.N. Thank you. TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com