France, Germany Offer Amendments on US-drafted Iraq Resolution

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Thursday, September 11, 2003

France, Germany Offer Amendments on US-drafted Iraq Resolution

France and Germany have circulated their proposal on Iraq, agreeing to endorse the Iraqi Governing Council but calling for a leading UN role in the process to restore Iraq's full sovereignty.

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France and Germany have circulated their proposal on Iraq, agreeing to endorse the Iraqi Governing Council but calling for a leading UN role in the process to restore Iraq's full sovereignty.

In an amendment to the US draft resolution on Iraq, France and Germany agree to let the Security Council endorse the US-installed Governing Council "as the trustee of Iraqi sovereignty until the processes leading to an elected and fully representative government are completed."

The amendment, a copy of which was obtained by Xinhua on Wednesday, also "decides to immediately initiate under the auspices of the United Nations a new process leading expeditiously to the full restoration of Iraqi sovereignty."

The United States distributed a working draft on Iraq last week, seeking a multinational force and more international help for Iraq. It also wants the council's recognition of the governing council.

The French-German proposal also calls for more power for the governing council, including control over Iraq's natural resources and use of international assistance.

To expand the UN role, the proposal requests UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan to assist the governing council in the development of a timetable for the drafting of a constitution and the holding of elections.

Observers here say that if Washington accepts the proposal, the US-British occupation authority in Iraq would lose much influence in the political process.

France and Germany, two main critics of the US resolution, also propose "effective international participation and oversight over all funds established for the purpose of the economic reconstruction of Iraq, in particular the Development Fund for Iraq."

Under the Security Council resolution 1483, the fund is under control of the occupying authority but should be audited by the International Advisory and Monitoring Board, a body yet to be established.

Russia also presented its own amendment. Russia and France are two of the five permanent members of the 15-member Security Council, which include China, the United States and Britain. Germany is one of the 10 elected council members with a two-year term.

The Russian proposal seeks to limit the stay of the multinational force, saying the force would have an initial one-year mandate. The mandate may be extended later by the Security Council but would expire once Annan reports such a force is unnecessary for Iraq.

The five permanent council members have held several closed-door meetings on the US draft resolution, with all sides tight-lipped on the progress. Their foreign ministers are to meet with Annan in Geneva on Saturday.

Sources familiar with the negotiations foresee that if a breakthrough emerges in Geneva, a new resolution on Iraq could be adopted by the council before US President George Bush comes to New York for the 58th session of the UN General Assembly.

Bush is scheduled to deliver a speech on Sept. 23 in the general debate of the session, which will open on Sept. 16.

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