Iraq's most influential Shiite cleric gave his tacit endorsement to the new interim government. He also urged it to lobby the UN Security Council for full sovereignty to erase "all traces" of the American-run occupation. Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Husseini al-Sistani said that the new government, appointed Tuesday by a UN envoy, lacks the "legitimacy of elections" and does not represent "in an acceptable manner all segments of Iraqi society and political forces." Nevertheless, he underlined that this government should prove its efficiency and integrity and will be able to carry out the enormous tasks that rest on its shoulders.

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