The goal, several officials tell us, is to light a fire under the Iraqi Governing Council.

CNN: King: U.S. wants to speed transition in Iraq

Leaders of the U.S.-backed coalition and its handpicked Iraqi Governing Council (IGC) asked U.N.

CNN: U.N. help sought on Iraq vote

Iraqi Governing Council President Adnan Pachachi was one of Bush's guests in the House chamber.

CNN: Bush warns of 'work unfinished'

It also calls on the Iraqi Governing Council to submit a plan for a constitution and for elections.

ECONOMIST: After the bomb

After Saddam Hussein's regime fell, he was appointed to the Iraqi Governing Council and put in charge of its finances.

CNN: Chalabi suspected of giving U.S. secrets to Iran

Bremer heads to the United Nations on Monday to meet with Secretary-General Kofi Annan, the president of the Iraqi Governing Council and other officials.

CNN: Bremer: U.N. has 'vital role' to play in Iraq

He has carried out negotiations with the US and represented Sciri at international meetings, and holds Sciri's only seat on the US-appointed Iraqi Governing Council.

BBC: News | Who's who in post-Saddam Iraq

Also, it was noted that Bush did not mention by name the president of the Iraqi Governing Council even though Ahmed Chalabi attended the speech.

CNN: Arabic TV critiques Bush's speech

BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- The Iraqi Governing Council president warned Thursday that the road to Iraqi sovereignty could be delayed by trying to have direct elections for a transitional national assembly.

CNN: Iraq leader: Direct vote could delay handover

One U.S. official said the new effort is proof the administration values the contributions of the Iraqi Governing Council, some of whose leading members have pressed for a greater U.N. role.

CNN: U.S. seeking U.N. support, help on Iraq

In the first year of occupation, the U.S. brought together prominent Iraqis to form the Iraqi Governing Council a group, intended as a fledgling government, that in practice did little more than rubber-stamp American proposals.

NEWYORKER: The Thin Red Line

The Iraqi Governing Council, with US support, recently took separate actions against the Al Jazeera and Al Arabiya bureaux in Baghdad, shut them down, banned their broadcasts, and promised further action against their correspondents.

CENTERFORSECURITYPOLICY: crosshairs

Annan, Iraqi Governing Council members and coalition officials, including U.S. civilian administrator L. Paul Bremer and top British official Jeremy Greenstock, are scheduled to meet Monday in New York to discuss the U.N. role.

CNN: Annan gets special adviser on Iraq

That legislature -- or parliament -- would then choose a new executive administration to take over sovereignty of Iraq by the July 1 deadline set by the Bush administration in its agreement with the interim Iraqi Governing Council.

CNN: U.S. seeking U.N. support, help on Iraq

The resolution conferred a measure of symbolic sovereignty on the Iraqi Governing Council, authorised a multinational force to patrol Iraq and gave the council until December 15th to publish a timetable for the transfer of power and the holding of elections.

ECONOMIST: Passing the hat | The

For one thing, those who have done so from police trainees to CPA local hires to the president of the Iraqi Governing Council have been systematically, and all-too-often successfully, targeted for attack, simply for being associated with the United States.

CENTERFORSECURITYPOLICY: Center For Security Policy

As for the building of Iraqi political institutions, the Governing Council has been operating since July, and has appointed interim ministers to run the Iraqi ministries.

CENTERFORSECURITYPOLICY: Remarks to the Council on Foreign Relations

Also with the three governing council members was a former Iraqi mission diplomat, Mohammad Al-Humaimidi, who defected from the mission two years ago.

CNN: Chalabi: Iraqis must draft constitution alone

Adnan Pachachi, a leading member of the Governing Council, said at the weekend that until Iraqi forces were able to combat al-Qaeda and other terrorist groups operating in the country, they would still need outside help.

ECONOMIST: Seeking an honourable way out | The

Before his death, the ayatollah offered qualified support to the US-appointed Governing Council giving the body much-needed legitimacy among Iraqi Shias.

BBC: News | Who's who in post-Saddam Iraq