United Nations: UN general secretary Kofi Annan has termed the handing over of the first unedited copy of Iraqi declaration to United States as an "unfortunate development never to be repeated again" even as he rejected criticism that the world body had become a puppet of America.

"In substance, the decision was fine, but the approach and style was wrong as the Security Council had decided that all would get the same material," Annan said, reacting to Security Council president Alfonso Valdivieso's decision.

Discussing the issue with Council members on December 10, Annan described it as an "unfortunate development" and expressed hope that it would not be repeated.

Speaking to reporters later, Annan agreed that some Council members had criticised the decision, but rejected the suggestion that it showed the world body had become a puppet in the hands of US.

Syria and Norway were among the members who openly expressed their unhappiness with the Norwegian Foreign Minister Jan Petersen warning against some members being treated as "B class".

Baghdad said Valdivieso's decision proved that it had become a victim of "unprecedented extortion" by Washington and expressed the fear that the US might use it to "manipulate the Council".

"This is unprecedented extortion in the history of the United Nations, when it (US) forced the president of the Security Council to give it the original copy of Iraq's declaration...in contradiction with the agreement by all members of Security Council," Iraqi Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

PTI