BAGHDAD, Feb 16: Iraq's powerful Shia authority has drawn up alternative proposals should the United Nations formally judge that snap direct elections as demanded by its top leader are impossible , a representative of Grand Ayatollah Ali al Sistani said here.

The alternative proposals, drawn up by the Marjaiya, the top religious body for the country's Shias, cannot be unveiled now "since we are awaiting an answer from the United Nations", Sheikh Abdel Mahdi al Karbalai said in Karbala, south of Baghdad.

A source close to the Marjaiya warned that the options could include a campaign, possibly violent, against the US-led occupation, but it was not on the cards quite yet.

The US overseer in Iraq, Paul Bremer, said the United States remained open to alternatives on how to transfer power to the Iraqis, but was committed to the June 30 date set by President George Bush.

Iraq's interim leadership said it would work with neighbouring countries to curb infiltration by foreign fighters into the country, where a spate of attacks last week left some 130 people dead.

In Kuwait City, the foreign minister in the Coalition Provisional Authority said he had asked his counterparts from neighbouring states to help Iraq "in controlling the borders more effectively to prevent infiltrators and terrorist groups from sneaking into Iraq".

Hoshyar Zebari said bilateral security committees would be created "between Iraq on the one hand with Syria, Iran, Jordan, Turkey and maybe Saudi Arabia". -AFP