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| US calls for mutinational force in Iraq, in proposal to UN
WASHINGTON, Sept 4 (AFP) - The United States has proposed that the UN Security Council create a multinational security force for Iraq to counter mounting instability -- and grant international acceptance to the US-installed Iraqi Governing Council. The proposal followed last month's bombings of the Jordanian Embassy and UN headquarters in Baghdad and the Imam Ali Mosque in the city of Najaf, which underscored growing instability on the US-occupied Arab nation. BizVantage – All the Net, all the time, just for you. The draft US resolution, obtained by AFP, does not explicitly place the US military in charge of the force, saying it would operate "under unified command." But it says that the United States would report to the Security Council about efforts being undertaken by the international contingent "on behalf of all member states participating in the multinational force." "The US will remain the commander of the unified command and there will be an element in the resolution that calls upon the United States as the leader of the military coalition to report on a regular basis to the United Nations," US Secretary of State Colin Powell said earlier in the day. The draft authorizes the force "to take all necessary measures to contribute to the maintenance of security and stability in Iraq and urges member states to contribute assistance, including military forces, to that effort." It specifically endorses the Governing Council "as the principal body of the Iraqi interim administration" and expresses support for its efforts to mobilize the people of the country. One of the tasks of the proposed force would be to provide security to the Iraqi Governing Council, which, in turn, is urged to offer "a timetable and program for the drafting of a new constitution for Iraq and for the holding of democratic elections," according to the document. A senior State Department official said the multinational force would be loosely modelled on the UN's peacekeeping operation in East Timor run by Australia, a senior State Department official said Wednesday. "Australia was running the show but there was a UN mandate," the official told AFP on condition of anonymity, adding: "We'd like to see something like that." The UN special representative for Iraq will focus, under the proposed resolution, "on the facilitation of national dialogue and consensus-building, on the political transition process, the establishment of the electoral processes, and assisting the Iraqi interim administration to rejoin the international community." The draft also urges Iraq's neighbors to respect its unity, territorial integrity and security and to prevent the transit of terrorists to Iraq as well as shipments of illegal arms and finances that would support terrorist activities. It calls on the international community to help Iraqis in setting up a new police force and asks international financial institutions to "take immediate steps" to make their loans available to the Governing Council. Democrats and Republicans in the US Congress found rare agreement over the need for international assistance to rebuild and secure Iraq, but were at odds over how much control US allies should be granted in exchange for that aid. Powell, who got approval from US President George W. Bush on Tuesday to seek the new resolution, moved quickly to lobby Security Council members in phone calls to several of his counterparts. He said he had spoken with UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw, Spanish Foreign Minister Ana Palacio and, more notably, with the foreign ministers of France, Germany and Russia -- Dominique de Villepin, Joschka Fischer and Igor Ivanov -- all of whose countries vehemently opposed the war against Iraq. France, Germany and Russia have all expressed reservations about expanding the UN mandate, with Paris and Berlin in particular opposing any attempt to "legitimize" the war with a new resolution. In addition, some council members have said they will not support a new resolution unless it provides for the sharing of information and decision-making, setting the stage for a potentially divisive battle. Powell denied the decision to seek a new resolution was related to the ever growing number of US casualties, but said the United States wanted to boost the stabilization force by giving countries who have asked for a specific UN mandate to send troops. He specifically mentioned India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Turkey as potential participants who might join if a new resolution is adopted. Powell said he believed that opposition to the resolution could be overcome and that the concerns of the French, Germans and Russians could be dealt with. "I think all of the desires that have been expressed to know more about what's going on and have shared responsibility can be addressed with this resolution," he said. bur-mk/gs Iraq-US-UN
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