United Nations: Despite US rejecting any major political and reconstruction role for
the United Nations in Iraq, United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan has
expressed confidence that the world body would play a "leading role" in post-
conflict era and is embarking on a tour of Britain, France, Germany and Russia to
seek support for his viewpoint.
Annan began his high level diplomacy to canvass for UN role at a meeting with the
Security Council on April 7, in which he told the members that he is appointing
Rafeeuddin Ahmed, a Pakistani national and veteran UN employee, as the new special
adviser on post-conflict issues.
Annan met the members on the day American President George Bush and British Prime
Minister Tony Blair were meeting in Belfast in Northern Ireland in an effort to
narrow down their differences on the role of the United Nations.
The Bush administration maintains that the United Nations has a role in humanitarian
areas, but the coalition fighting the war in Iraq would run the country initially
and have a major say in establishing the interim government.
Blair, along with the Europeans, has been pressing Bush to allow UN to play a major
role, something that influential members of the Bush administration oppose.
Diplomats at the United Nations said they are keenly watching the outcome of the
Belfast talks to see if Blair is able to bring Bush round to his viewpoint. But they
also said the scenario is being set for a heated debate in days to come as the
Administration set up by Americans might not be acceptable to a majority of Council
members.
Annan and several diplomats were suggesting that any action taken under the UN
banner would have legitimacy, which would be lacking if Americans decided to go it
alone.
But they were also aware that the United States had taken military action without
explicit sanctions from the Council and despite most members of the Council
describing it as "lacking legitimacy".
Officials and experts led by retired US lieutenant general Jay Garner along with
some exiles have already started chalking out future pattern of government and
reconstruction for Iraq. Diplomats say Britain is involved in talks, but UN is not
associated.
Some experts on international law say that the United States, an occupying power,
cannot give long term contracts on behalf of Iraq.
American Ambassador John Negroponte made it clear once again that UN would have role
but discussion are necessary to define it.
"We have said that people shouldn't be surprised if the coalition is going to take
the lead in Iraq, given the fact that it is the coalition that has basically
sacrificed its blood and treasure to achieve the outcome that now seems to be
inevitable," he said.
Chief UN spokesman Fred Eckhard said Annan is visiting Europe to see British Prime
Minister Tony Blair, French President Jacques Chirac, German Chancellor Gerhard
Schroeder and Russian President Vladimir Putin to see if there is some consensus.
But diplomats pointed out that Chirac, Schroeder and Putin already support a leading
role by the UN. It is the United States that needs to be persuaded.
PTI
