UNITED NATIONS, March 19 (Xinhuanet) -- UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan said here Friday that he had responded to the letter of invitation by Iraq's Governing Council and decided to send a team led by his Special Advisor Lakhdar Brahimi back to the country.

    Briefing reporters on the assignment of the team, the UN chief said Brahimi "will talk to them, to listen and to see how we can help them come to a consensus and a viable option."

    Iraq's Governing Council sent a letter to Annan, welcoming the report by Brahimi that discouraged early elections before the power shift deadline of June 30. It also invited the world body to go back and play a role. Enditem