UNITED NATIONS, March 19: UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan said on Thursday that he was prepared to send a UN team to Iraq 'as soon as practicable'.

Mr Annan was responding to a letter from the Iraqi Governing Council in which it had welcomed the UN help with the transition to sovereignty by the end of June and future national elections.

Talking to reporters, Mr Annan said he had replied to the letter that he was ready to send a team led by Lakhdar Brahimi, his special adviser.

A spokesman said Mr Annan and Mr Brahimi had discussed the letter sent by Council president Mohammed Bahr Al-Uloom.

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