Mar 10, 2010
Iraqi results today: Panel
BAGHDAD: Preliminary results from Iraq's parliamentary election will be released on Wednesday, an electoral commission official said on Tuesday.
Officials have said they will release the first results when 30 per cent of the vote has been counted.
"We started entering information in the database today and an announcement about the first 30 per cent of the results will be tomorrow," said Waleed Zubaidi, operations manager for Iraq's Independent High Electoral Commission.
The UN Security Council hailed parliamentary elections in Iraq as an "important step" toward strengthening the country's national unity and slammed violent attempts to disrupt the polls.
Members of the 15-member body issued a non-binding statement congratulating the Iraqi people for "demonstrating their continued commitment to a peaceful, inclusive and democratic political process."
Prime Minister Nouri Al Maliki's State of Law coalition polled well in Shiite southern provinces and a secular, cross-sectarian bloc led by former premier Iyad Allawi appeared to be strong in Sunni areas of the north and west, according to informal tallies.
http://www.godubai.com/gulftoday/article.asp?AID=55&Section=Main
