Iraqi opposition groups meeting in London extended a conference for an extra day after failing to agree on the make-up of a committee that will articulate their vision of a post-Saddam Hussein era.
Delegates who had assembled for a final overnight session were told to return later in the day Monday as leaders of the various opposition factions met in a London hotel attempting to agree on the membership of the key body, AFP reported.
A US team led by Washington's envoy, Zalmay Khalilzad, was trying to broker an end to differences over the proposed "follow-up and coordination committee," which is supposed to liaise between various opposition groups and act as an "interlocutor" with world and regional powers.
Some delegates said the disagreements revolved around the distribution of seats on the planned body among the opposition groups and the ethnic or religious communities they represent. They said the committee was likely to have a membership of over 40.
The final scheduled session had broken up Sunday night after a dispute over a blueprint for the transitional period which would follow the eventual fall of the Baghdad regime.
The closing session was supposed to reconvene at midnight (0000 GMT) to endorse a final declaration, but three and a half hours later, delegates were told that the conference, which is being held in anticipation of US military action to oust Saddam, would reconvene Monday morning. (Albawaba.com)
© 2002 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
