Over 15 leading Iraqi parties have called to delay the January elections due to concern about aggravating security in the country.

The Qatar-based television al-Jazeera reported Friday the parties signed a petition and demanded the elections scheduled for Jan. 30, 2005 be postponed by at least six months.

This move was led by prominent Sunni politician and former Iraqi presidential candidate Adnan Pachachi

One representative from interim Prime Minister Iyad Allawi's Iraqi National Accord party was also among those petitioners.

(CRI November 27, 2004)