The 'transitional assembly' is thus dissolved, after which campaigning for the elections begins.

The Council first met on March 16, 2006, exactly one year after the first meeting of the transitional assembly.

The debate now is over whether the selection of a transitional assembly next summer should be by caucus-style balloting or a direct national election.

Last week the council established a nine-member committee to study the issue of how to choose the transitional assembly.

The Government agreed to fresh elections and the transitional assembly was dissolved on 30 January 2007, after which campaigning began.

They were electing a transitional national assembly that will have as its primary task the drafting of a constitution.

A transitional assembly will be selected in the coming months.

Direct elections for the transitional assembly would favor the Shiites, who make up more than 60 percent of the population.

The American plan calls for Iraq to choose a so-called transitional assembly of 250 people nationwide next spring.

That is the date by which the Bush administration hopes to put a transitional national assembly in place to appoint the new government.