Clark backs wider role for UN

The Government would consider increasing reconstruction assistance in Iraq if the United Nations stepped up its role there, Prime Minister Helen Clark said yesterday.

However, she indicated that would be difficult because of defence force commitments in Iraq and other parts of the world.

United States President George W. Bush has called on the UN to assume a broader role in helping Iraq become a free and democratic nation.

He said yesterday that he would ask for an extra US$87 billion ($154 billion) to pay for operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, and he wanted other nations to share the task.

A detachment of 61 New Zealand Army engineers and other personnel is due to be deployed in Iraq this month to help reconstruction work. They will work alongside British Army engineers repairing bridges and buildings and restoring services.

Helen Clark said the Government supported a strengthened UN role in Iraq.

"If the UN were to step up its involvement, of course we would look at what we could do.

"But ... we've got a lot of people out there doing a lot of things at the moment. It's unlikely New Zealand could contemplate any large contribution."

- NZPA

Herald Feature: Iraq