Bush tries to draw UN into securing Iraq

WASHINGTON - President George W. Bush took steps yesterday to draw the United Nations into a bigger military role in Iraq.

Bush is under pressure at home and abroad over a failure to impose security in the occupied country.

A senior US official said the President directed Secretary of State Colin Powell to open negotiations at the UN Security Council on a resolution aimed at building a wider multinational force and getting UN help to build political stability.

"We've got language of a draft UN resolution. It enhances, it elaborates, it talks about how countries can contribute," said the State Department.

"It's on how to define further the vital role of the UN in political, military and economic areas and how to provide ways for the UN members to support efforts by the Iraqi people."

UN envoys said the draft might include a role for the UN in helping to prepare elections in Iraq.

Bush and Powell discussed ways to persuade the council to provide backing for a multinational force under a single command as recommended last month by UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan, the US official said.

The US, whose forces have occupied Iraq since March, has insisted it keeps authority over Iraq operations.

Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage, said last week that a concept under consideration was a multinational force under UN sponsorship, but "the American would be the UN commander".

Daily guerrilla attacks on US troops and growing concern at home about the chaotic security situation in Iraq have prompted Bush to press for more international support and to mend deep rifts at the UN with states that opposed the US invasion.

The US has about 150,000 troops in Iraq and is supported by about 21,000 others, 11,000 of them British.

Until recently, Powell and other US officials contended that a Security Council resolution adopted in May was sufficient to get other countries to send more troops.

That measure encouraged countries to help the US-led coalition rebuild Iraq, including contributions to "stability and security".

But India, Pakistan, Turkey and others, wary of serving under US occupiers in Iraq, said there had to be a stronger UN mandate before they would send soldiers.

France, Germany and Russia, which led opposition to the US invasion at the UN earlier this year, were not expected to send troops. They want a stronger UN political role in Iraq and it was not clear how much the US draft resolution would meet their demands

The US official gave no details of the draft resolution, but said it "addresses security within the framework that Secretary-General Annan has talked about, which is a multinational force under a unified command".

"This isn't about us or the French or the Russians. This is to try to do the best the international community can do for the Iraqi people."

Other US sources said the resolution text might not be distributed to the full 15-member Security Council until next week but close US ally Britain had received a copy.

UN diplomats said there would be private discussions with the other permanent Security Council members - France, Russia and China - before any draft text was distributed to the full council.

- REUTERS

ON THE WEB nzherald.co.nz/iraq BUSH SEEKS UN BACKING FOR IRAQ MULTINATIONAL FORCE

Washington, Sept 2 Reuters - US President George W Bush on Tuesday directed Secretary of State Colin Powell to open negotiations at the UN Security Council on a resolution aimed at getting wider international support for US efforts in Iraq, a senior US official said.

In an afternoon meeting, Bush and Powell discussed ways to convince the council to provide backing for a multinational force under a single command as recommended by UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan, the official said.

"Secretary Powell is going to be working with our colleagues on the Security Council to talk about language that can bring the maximum international resources to bear on the issues in Iraq," the official said.

The United States, whose forces have occupied Iraq since invading the country in March and toppling President Saddam Hussein, has insisted it retain authority over Iraq operations.

Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage, in an interview last week, said a concept under consideration was a multinational force under the sponsorship of the United Nations, but "the American would be the UN commander."

Daily guerrilla attacks on American troops and increasing concern at home about the chaotic security situation in Iraq have prompted Bush to press for more international support and to mend rifts at the United Nations with states that opposed the US invasion.

Without a new UN resolution, help from other countries for the 150,000-strong US military looks doubtful. About 21,000 non-American troops are in Iraq, 11,000 of them British.

The US official said the draft resolution being proposed embraced a number of areas, including political, economic, military and security.

"It addresses security within the framework that Secretary- General Annan has talked about, which is a multinational force under a unified command," the official said.

"This isn't about us or the French or the Russians. This is to try to do the best the international community can do for the Iraqi people," the official added.

A State Department official in Washington said, "We've got language (of a draft UN resolution). It enhances, it elaborates, it talks about how countries can contribute."

The official added, "It's on how to define further the vital role of the UN in political, military and economic areas and how to provide ways for the UN members to support efforts by the Iraqi people."

Other US sources said the resolution text was not expected to be distributed to the full 15-member Security Council until late this week or next week, although close US ally Britain had received a copy of the text.

Diplomats at the United Nations said there would be private discussions on the ideas with the other permanent UN Security Council members - France, Russia.

Herald Feature: Iraq