Readout of the Vice President's Meeting With the U.N. Secretary General's Special Representative for Iraq Ad Melkert

The Vice President met today with the Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General for Iraq, Ad Melkert. They discussed the important role of the United Nations in Iraq and agreed on the need for fairness and transparency in the electoral process. In particular, they called for due process and respect for the votes cast by the Iraqi electorate. They supported the effort of Iraq's Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC) to conduct an orderly, transparent recount in Baghdad with requisite speed in keeping with the expectations of the people of Iraq. They agreed on the importance of observers in that process. They reiterated that it is for Iraqis to lead the electoral process without any outside interference. They also discussed moving toward the certification and acceptance of election results and timely government formation.