New Delhi: US Secretary of State Colin Powell spoke to External Affairs Minister Yashwant Sinha on July 21 and said Washington will look at the possibility of a new UN Security Council (UNSC) resolution on Iraq with a broader UN mandate.

During the telephonic conversation lasting 25 minutes as part of regular exchanges between the two leaders on a wide range of international developments, they shared views on political developments in Iraq.

While not heeding US request to send troops to Iraq to participate in the stabilisation force, India has held that it could consider any such move only if there was an "explicit" UN mandate.

On this Indian position, External Affairs Ministry spokesman said, "They are aware of our position."

Powell conveyed that "After presentations by the UN Secretary General's special representative in Iraq, Sergio De Mello and Kofi Annan in the Security Council, the US will look at the possibility of a new UNSC resolution with a broader UN mandate," External Affairs Ministry spokesman told reporters.

The US Secretary of State briefed Sinha on the recent developments relating to North Korea and the Middle East peace process.

The spokesman said the two leaders discussed recent events in India-Pakistan relations and were in agreement on a measured and step-by-step process to take forward Prime Minister's peace initiative.

PTI