Mr Jay Garner, the retired US general administering postwar Iraq, pledged today to build democracy in the cradle of civilisation as he met prominent Iraqis for talks to map out their political future.
Speaking on what would be Saddam Hussein's 66th birthday, Mr Garner told about 250 people in the bombed-out heart of Baghdad they must build on a smaller, initial gathering in the city of Nassiriya two weeks ago, days after Saddam was toppled.
"Today on the birthday of Saddam Hussein let us start the democratic process for the children of Iraq," he told invited delegates at the heavily guarded convention centre.
In their turn, delegates thanked US-led forces for ousting Saddam but insisted Iraqis must now run their own affairs. One warned that factional in-fighting could mean civil war.
British Foreign Office Minister Mr Mike O'Brien, also attending the talks, said Iraqis should vote in a referendum on a new constitution before electing their own government to take over from a transitional postwar authority.
In the audience were clerics from both the Shi'ite majority and the traditionally dominant Sunni Muslims, as well as Kurds from the northern mountains, Arab tribal chiefs in robes and headdresses and urban professionals in Western-style suits.
But Mr Ahmad Chalabi, the Washington-backed head of the Iraqi National Congress, was not at the meeting although other INC representatives did attend. Asked why Mr Chalabi was not there, Mr O'Brien said: "I don't care."
Representatives of the two main Kurdish political parties also did not come to the meeting, but US officials said they were invited and probably only prevented by logistical problems.