United Nations: Secretary-General Kofi Annan plans to appoint a new UN envoy for Iraq next week, who will be based in Baghdad despite the increasing violence and deteriorating security situation in the country.

The United Nations has been given the lead role in organization elections and reconstruction of the country but so far its international staff has been unable to go to Iraq because of security concerns and questions are being raised whether elections, scheduled for January next, would be possible.

The United Nations had withdrawn all its international staff from Iraq after two bombings of its headquarters in Baghdad, in the first of which its top envoy Sergio Vieira de Mello among 22 people killed. Since then, staff has resisting deployment in the country.

The Security Council resolution handing down lead role to the world body also expects the UN to go in as the situation permits.

Annan recalled that recently his special adviser Lakhdar Brahimi gone to Baghdad and helped put the interim Government which take charge of the country on June 30.

Annan said that the UN mission to Iraq, currently working form Jordan, is effective and has been working through local staff.

"We are doing whatever we can from Amman (Jordanian capital) and where necessary we do cross-border trips," he added.

Annan said the world body is finding creative ways to assist "without necessarily overexposing our staff".