US makes fresh push for new UN resolution on Iraq

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Tuesday, October 14, 2003

US makes fresh push for new UN resolution on Iraq

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In a fresh attempt to remove discontent of key UN Security Council members, the United States has offered further amendments to its draft resolution on Iraq, setting a Dec. 15 deadline for fixing a timetable for the return of the Iraqi sovereignty.

The new draft, obtained by Xinhua, was circulated among council members over the weekend and is expected to be formally presented to the entire council later on Monday.

The latest version, which came out after an earlier amended draft met strong opposition from United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan and some key council members, appears not to have gone as far as its opponents want.

For fear of being bogged down in Iraq, Washington has been pushing since the end of August for a new council resolution in order to encourage other countries to contribute troops and money for securing and rebuilding Iraq.

The new draft, the third in six weeks, regards the Iraqi Governing Council and its ministers as "the principal body of the Iraqi interim administration which will embody the sovereignty of the state of Iraq during the transitional period."

The draft invites the US-installed Governing Council to present to the Security Council, "no later than Dec. 15," a timetable and a program for the drafting of a new constitution for Iraq and for the holding of the democratic elections under the constitution.

But the latest draft stops short of saying how to transform the Governing Council into an interim government, and contains no specific dates for the end of the US-British occupation of the war-torn nation.

Like the previous one, it says that the occupying powers should transfer responsibilities to the Iraqis "as soon as practicable" and in a "progressive" manner.

The new draft seems contradictory on the UN role. On the one hand, it stresses the United Nations should "strengthen its vital role in Iraq," including by providing humanitarian relief, promoting economic reconstruction and advancing efforts to restore Iraqi governing institutions.

But on the other hand, it requests the world body to provide assistance, "as circumstances permit," to the Iraqi interim government in crafting and implementing the timeframe for the constitutional and electoral processes.

Under such provision, the United Nations could choose not to play a role in the Iraqi political transition if circumstances, like the security situation, would not permit.

Apparently, this is not an enhanced role demanded by Annan and some key Security Council members, including France, Russia and Germany.

In the hopes of effectively reducing Iraqi resistance, they have been calling for turning over, within few months, the Iraqi sovereignty to an interim government before writing a new constitution and conducting the elections.

Under their proposals, the Iraqi interim government would be the one to invite the United Nations and the international community to offer help. They hold that such a new approach could change the idea that the international community would be in Iraq to help sustain occupation.

The new US draft also stipulates that the Security Council would "review" the requirements and mission of the proposed US-led multinational force not later than a year after it gains the council approval.

It remains unknown whether these new amendments could win over Annan and other critics. US Secretary of State Colin Powell indicated Friday that he might consider giving up the push if the new changes fail to win strong support.

In Luxembourg, German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer told reporters Monday that the new draft is "without doubt a further step in the right direction." But he added quickly that it's too early to predict whether it would succeed in the end.

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