Thousands of Iraqis demanding early elections have marched through Baghdad ahead of a meeting today between the US-appointed governor, members of the US-appointed Iraqi Governing Council and the United Nations Secretary-General in New York.
Washington, which defied the UN to invade Iraq last year, hopes to persuade it to play a role in an attempt to win over Iraqis, notably majority Shi'ites who want immediate elections to determine who controls the new Iraq.
US-appoined Governor Mr Paul Bremer and the Governing Council are likely to press Mr Kofi Annan to send a team of experts to help convince supporters of Iraq's most revered Shi'ite cleric, Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, that his call for direct elections is premature.
Mr Annan has said Iraq is still too dangerous for UN employees since he ordered out international staff in October, following bloody attacks on UN offices and humanitarian groups in Baghdad.
Thousands of protestors waved banners and shouted slogans in support of Mr Sistani at today's demonstration.
"All the people are with you, Sayyed Ali," the crowd chanted. "Yes, yes to unity, yes, yes to elections."