IRAN - Sept. 20 - Allawi Against Swift Self-Rule.

Key Iraq Governing Council (IGC) member Iyad Allawi (head of the formerly exiled and CIA-based Iraqi National Accord - INA), says in an interview with the FT to be published on Sept. 21 there must be "gradual, progressive" steps towards full sovereignty and rules out the rapid timetable for self-rule that has been proposed by France and Germany as part of a new UN resolution. He says: "True, we would like to see a (US-led foreign) withdrawal as soon as possible, but we don't want just a withdrawal, full stop. This would create another vacuum. We would like to see the presence of a solid Iraqi force first". (This comforts the Bush administration, where even the State Department has been adamantly opposed to an immediate transfer of power to the IGC. A key concern in the US is that a handover at this time would give advantage to former exiled groups such the Iraqi National Congress, led by ex-banker Ahmad Chalabi, whose recent statements have suggested he advocates a speedy hand-over of sovereignty to the IGC. The IGC still has to figure out how to operate, how to implement decisions and how to relate to ministers who have been appointed). Allawi, the IGC's co-ordinator for security issues, is also against rapid withdrawal of US troops from many urban areas, which has been advocated by other Iraqi politicians and US commanders. His comments came amid a new spate of attacks on coalition troops. Rather than turning over immediate full sovereignty, Allawi call on the US to allow the IGC to have representatives on the boards of trustees for donor funds. He says IGC members would also like to be "represented and effective" in the disbursement of $20 bn in US aid to Iraq that Bush has requested from Congress for next year).