Blair hopes all Iraqis will take part in polls

British Prime Minister Tony Blair (L) shakes hands with Iraqi Prime Minister Iyad Allawi in Baghdad yesterday. PHOTO: AFP

"I hope it goes ahead on an inclusive basis," he said at a joint press conference with interim prime minister Iyad Allawi.

But Blair, whose visit was kept secret until his arrival in the Iraqi capital because of security concerns, acknowledged that violence would continue both before and after the January 30 elections.

"There are major problems -- but holding the elections will have its own impetus towards greater security," Blair said.

"I think that everyone understands there will be violence that will continue even after the election... On the other hand we will have a very clear expression of democratic will."

Blair staunchly defended the US and British-led stewardship of Iraq since their forces ousted Saddam Hussein in April 2003, unleashing a torrent of violence on the country.

Blair lashed out at those who blame the violence on the US-led forces and not the insurgency, saying the situation was a "battle between democracy and terror.

An US air strike killed six people and wounded 10 in the western Iraqi town of Hit overnight, the head of the local hospital said yesterday.

The strike left six dead and 10 others wounded, Dr Nazzar al-Kubaisi of Hit general hospital told AFP. "The toll is higher than this but we received only this number."

Iraq's electoral commission yesterday announced the polling day timetable of the landmark January 30 elections as well as measures for ensuring a fair and transparent vote.

"Voting time will be over 10 hours, beginning at 7:00 am (0400 GMT) and ending at 5:00 pm (1400 GMT)," commission spokesman Farid Ayar in a statement.

Counting will be done in the 7,000-odd polling stations themselves, a move Ayar justified on security grounds, saying it was easier to protect the stations than vehicles carrying ballot boxes elsewhere for counting.

Members of different groups and political parties will be allowed to observe both the vote and the count in the hope of ensuring transparency, said Ayar.

Ballot boxes for the 275 National Assembly members, the Kurdish autonomous region's 111 seats and the 18 provincial councils would all have different colours.