Bremer Will Seek Compromise With

Bremer Will seek Compromise with Sistani

The Arabic press on Tuesday morning mostly reported that Grand Ayatollah Ali Sistani had been rebuffed by the Interim Governing Council and by US civil administrator Paul Bremer in his demand for an open, transparent, general election.

In contrast, Steven R. Weisman of the New York Times reports that Bremer has decided to alter his election plans somewhat, in a bid to seek a compromise with Sistani. Initially the electoral base of the new government was to have been the Coalition-appointed provincial councils. Bremer is said to now be open to widening that base so as to make the elections more democratic, in hopes of mollifying Sistani.

Weisman said that Bremer and the Coalition Provisional Authority were caught flat-footed by Sistani’s statement over the weekend.