BAGHDAD, Nov. 26 (Xinhuanet) -- More than 15 leading Iraqi parties called on Friday to delay the scheduled January elections by atleast six months, the Qatar-based al-Jazeera TV reported.Leaders of the political parties, led by Adnan Pachachi's Independent Democratic Party, signed a joint petition after ameeting, urging to postpone the polls until mid-2005.Two major Kurdish parties, the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan(PUK) and Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), both signed the document, according to the report.

    A representative from Prime Minister Iyad Allawi's Iraqi National Accord Party attended the meeting held in Pachachi's residence in Baghdad, but did not sign on the petition, said the channel without mentioning the source.

    Eight other Sunni parties had called for a delay of the elections unless their conditions were met.

    They demanded law amendments that consider the whole country asingle constituency, arguing that the current clause limits the participation in the elections.

    The groups also asked the government to lift the 60-day emergency law imposed on the eve of the Fallujah offensive and toallow detainees to vote.

    The interim Iraqi constitution requires that the parliamentary elections, the first national poll since Saddam Hussein was toppled, should be held by January 2005.

    A transitional parliament will be elected and in turn a newgovernment will be generated.

    The parliament is responsible for drafting a permanent constitution for the country and monitor the government's behavior.Enditem