Germany-Based Iraqis Can Vote

An German interior ministry spokesman said Friday the government had no objection to some 85,000 resident Iraqis voting in their national election next month, but was studying the best way such a vote could be organized. Iraq's electoral commission said earlier this month Iraqis

living in Germany faced problems because of concern polling booths would be attacked. But the interior ministry spokesman told reporters that the government here "had no reservations concerning voting by Iraqis in Germany." He pointed out that Iraqis could vote by correspondence, but that authorities were discussing other ways the election could be organized. "No decision has been taken yet," he said. Security fears were heightened in Germany after three Iraqis were arrested in connection with a suspected planned attack against Iraqi Prime Minister Iyad Allawi during a visit to the country. Iraqi voters are due to choose a national assembly, a regional parliament for the Kurdish north, and 18 provincial councils in the vote scheduled for Jan. 30.