Interim Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshiar al-Zibari said in Beijing Sunday that 2005 will be another difficult year for Iraq because the country's policies are no secret and its opponents know exactly what to do to hinder its efforts.  

Al-Zibari told Xinhua before his departure from Beijing after a four-day visit in China.

Security is still a major concern of the country, although 14 to 15 of the 18 provinces in Iraq are relatively safe, he said.

"Of course, there is still fighting even in those safer provinces, but major problems won't easily take place," he said.

Taking out a security report attached with two pictures highlighting a recent car bomb failing to target his car in Baghdad, al-Zibari said, "It's dangerous. It's no joke."

According to al-Zibari, three abortive car bombs attempting to blow him up have been discovered by his guards within a month.

"We are building our military, police and intelligence capabilities and trying to make the security situation tolerable," he said.

Al-Zibari attributed the existing violence to three kinds of forces: extremists loyal to the former Saddam Regime, foreign fighters and fundamentalists trying to settle scores in Iraq and organized criminals who kidnap and conduct suicide attacks.

He said the Iraqi interim government is trying hard to curb all detrimental forces and definitely needs the support of multinational forces.

If the situation doesn't improve, the Independent Election Commission may decide to prolong the elections scheduled on Jan. 30 for a few days, al-Zibari said.

"Elections in dangerous regions like Mosul and around Baghdad may be delayed so that we can concentrate our security resources to destroy opponents capacity to target and intimidate people," he said.

Al-Zibari said the Independent Election Commission will have the final say-so. But he also stressed that there would be no alteration or changes to the pre-designed election schedule.

"Preparations are continuous and everyone is committed. We have security plans to defend the safety in most polling stations and lecture centers. Whatever situation we may face, we should not stop but move forward," he said.

According to Iraq's electoral and constitutional plans, January 30, 2005 will be the Election day when a 275-member National Assembly will be elected. On October 15, the draft constitution written by the transitional assembly will be voted in a referendum. If adopted, the constitution would form the legal basis for another general election to be held by December 15 and a new government will take office by December 31, 2005.

All these clear-cut agendas have provided ready targets to those opposed to democracy and legitimate government, he said.

Those who oppose democracy, freedom and secularism are no longer fighting primarily Americans, he said. They are now literally fighting against the Iraqi people as the political process moves on.

"That's why we saw Iraqi policemen killed and facilities in Baghdad destroyed," he said.

There are always people who try to influence the outcome of election in one way or another, he said, adding that regional intervention is detrimental to Iraqi's electoral process.

In mid-January, Iraq will hold a conference with all its neighboring countries in Jordan to discuss the problem.

"We will definitely raise the issue and tell the world to stop meddling," he said.

Without efficient measures in hand, however, al-Zibari said the interim government will try its best to communicate with intervening forces to get cross the message "if you help us, help us positively."

Al-Zibari said Iraqi people should be granted the right to determine their future freely, without intervention and intimidation. "This is our future," he said.

So far, preparations for the election are going on smoothly with people of a variety of religions, the Shiites, the Kurds and the Christians, involved.

Al-Zibari said the credibility of the election was very important and required high participation.

To prove the credibility, al-Zibari said the Iraqi interim government also asked the United Nations to have a greater presence and send more experts and international election monitors to Iraq.

"We've asked many other organizations as well, including the European Union and the Arab Leagues. All of them have pledged their help to us," he said.

(Xinhua News Agency December 27, 2004)