http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2005/01/12/wirq12.xml&sSheet=/news/2005/01/12/ixworld.htmlOfficials running the election campaign of the coalition headed by Iraq's interim prime minister, Iyad Allawi, last night made light of the revelation that journalists attending its press conferences had been given envelopes containing a $100 note, calling the gift "just hospitality".
About 20 envelopes were handed to members of the local and international press after one recent campaign meeting. Some journalists declined the present but others accepted.
News of the largesse, common practice during Saddam Hussein's rule and in neighbouring Arab countries, had provoked speculation that Iraq was returning to the habits and customs of the Ba'athist regime.
"We have no excuse in your culture but I'm from a tribal background, and in ours, it is just hospitality," said Adnan Janabi, campaign manager for the Iraq List coalition which Mr Allawi leads.
"Our Iraqi press are used to being treated nicely. My people think it impolite to let guests leave without offering hospitality. We could not give them a meal, so they were given money instead. Most of the Iraqi journalists were happy to use it for transport or whatever."
With a laugh, he added: "If we wanted to bribe the press, we would have to pay a lot more,."
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