(AINA) -- Iraq Out-of-Country Voting Program

Press Release - 27 December 2004

Amman, Jordan: Expatriate Iraqis living in eleven countries around the world will now be able to vote in the Out-of-Country Voting (OCV) Program for the Iraqi National Assembly Election in January 2005 after agreements were concluded between the governments of these countries and the International Organization for Migration (IOM).

These agreements were concluded after the Independent Electoral Commission of Iraq (IECI) signed a Memorandum of Understanding with IOM, on 11 November, authorising IOM to conduct the Iraq OCV Program in fourteen countries with large expatriate Iraqi communities. As of today, the governments in eleven of these countries have concluded agreements with IOM: Australia, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Iran, Jordan, the Netherlands, Sweden, the United Kingdom and the United States. Please see below a list of locations where registration and polling will be conducted for each of the eleven countries.

"Given the very tight time frame we are working within, we are pleased that these countries have quickly agreed to host this election and allow as many Iraqis as possible to vote," said IOM Iraq OCV Director, Peter Erben. IOM is moving rapidly ahead with the Iraq OCV Program in these countries. In consultation with local Iraqis and government officials, offices are being set up and local staff are being trained as registration and polling station committees. Voter information is being publicised in newspapers, radio spots, pamphlets, posters, and through the Internet. Negotiations are progressing positively on the implementation of the OCV Program with the governments of Syria, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates.

Registration and polling will be conducted in the following locations:

Australia: Melbourne and Sydney
Canada: Calgary, Ottawa and Toronto
Denmark: Copenhagen
France: Paris
Germany: Berlin, Cologne, Manheim and Munich
Iran: Ahyaz, Kermanshah, Mashhad, Orumiyeh, Qom and Tehran
Jordan: Amman
The Netherlands: Amsterdam, Rotterdam and Zwolle
Sweden: Gothenburg and Stockholm
United Kingdom: Glasgow, London and Manchester
The United States: Chicago, Detroit, Los Angeles, Nashville and Washington (DC)

Members of the media are encouraged to check the website www.iraqocv.org daily for regular press releases, contact information, and downloadable photos and audio/video files, or email to media@iraqocv.org. For more information, please contact: Jeremy Copeland, Country Chief of External Relations, IOM Iraq OCV w) 202 625-8496 c) 202 468-7605 Jeremy.Copeland@iraqocv.org