By Judy Aita
Washington File United Nations Correspondent

United Nations -- The new U.N. special envoy for Iraq, who assumed his responsibilities July 22, emphasized that his mission will be to assist the Iraqi people to achieve a political transition to full democracy.
 
In a July 22 press conference, Secretary-General Kofi Annan introduced his new envoy, Ashraf Jehangir Qazi, who most recently was Pakistan's ambassador to the United States.
 
Annan said that Qazi will go to Baghdad "as soon as practical" in August to continue the U.N. work there.
 
The United Nations will be able to work out security arrangements for the special envoy and a small staff, the secretary-general said. However, in order for the United Nations to build up a larger presence, the special force outlined by the Security Council in resolution 1546 to protect U.N. staff and facilities will have to be ready to provide the necessary security.
 
Security "is not only the first consideration, it is the first priority, the second priority, and the third priority," Qazi said.
 
The United Nations has been in contact with several nations about contributing troops, but the secretary-general said that no firm offers have been made as yet. "There is a move, an indication, that Islamic countries may want to go to Iraq, may want to send troops," Annan said. "In fact [Iraqi] Prime Minister [Ayad] Allawi is asking them to do so."
 
Asked whether he feels the United Nations is welcome in Iraq, Qazi said that "reports coming out of Iraq are that they do believe that the U.N. has a vital role, and a vital role of assistance, of facilitation, to play in bringing about a successful political transition in which the entire Iraqi people are stakeholders."
 
"I believe there is every reason for the Iraqi people to see the U.N. mission in Iraq as a mission in their service and for them," Qazi said.
 
Since the bomb attack on U.N. headquarters in Baghdad in August 2003, the United Nations has sent small missions to Iraq for limited periods of time. With the help of then U.N. Special Envoy Lakhdar Brahimi and Carina Perelli, head of the U.N. electoral assistance division, the United Nations helped form an interim government and design a legal framework for elections. The United Nations is expected to help the Iraqis with the actual elections, which will be held by January 2005, the writing of a new constitution, and the holding of a national conference.
 
Qazi said an important part of his mission will be to "work as closely as possible with the interim government, and to work with the disparate elements in Iraq to bring them into the political process, and also to consult with the neighboring countries, and the P5 (five permanent members of the Security Council)."
 
"We are not going to run elections," Annan stressed. "The Iraqis will run the elections with our help, our advice, and technical assistance, and I think they will be able to do it."
 
Qazi has been Pakistan's ambassador to China, Russia, East Germany and Syria. He also had diplomatic assignments in Copenhagen, Tokyo, Cairo, Tripoli and London. Prior to his posting to Washington in September 2002, Qazi was Pakistan's high commissioner to India.