US Secretary of State Colin Powell has said that former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein will not be on trial before the second half of this year.  

In an interview with the Australian Broadcasting Corporation TV broadcast Monday night, Powell said Saddam was "talking to us," but adding "I can't say he's being cooperative."

"He realizes that he will be facing trial, he realizes the difficulties that he's in and what's facing him." "So he's trying to protect himself," Powell said.

"I think it (Saddam's trial) best to be done after Iraqis have sovereignty in their own country after July 1," he said.

"It will take at least that long to bring all the charges together and for the Iraqis to do it in a correct way," he added.

Powell turned down demands in Iraq for an early election in the country, describing it as very difficult. He suggested using regional caucuses to select a transitional assembly which would select a transitional government by July 1.

Then, the Iraqis could have a formal constitution before a full election, he said.

He acknowledged that the US-led coalition forces in Iraq has failed to find large inventories of weapons in Iraq, a reason Washington launched war on Iraq in April last year.

(Xinhua News Agency January 20, 2004)