New York: United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan has warned that the United States must agree to a UN-authorised multinational force for Iraq if it does not want the rehabilitation process in that country to fail.

He also said that this force would have to be given equal responsibility and decision-making powers.

Annan was responding to US Secretary of State Colin Powell's call to UN member states to do more to help Iraq, but made it clear that Washington would not share any military power as France and other nations have demanded.

Annan said he had discussed prospects for a multinational force with Powell and with British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw on August 21 and 22 respectively.

ANI