United Nations: UN Secretary General Kofi Annan has denied that he had appointed Pakistan's Ambassador to the United States Ashraf Jehangir Qazi as his top envoy in Iraq with the understanding that Islamabad would contribute troops for protection of UN staff in the war ravaged country.

"There is no quid pro quo or expectation that because I have appointed a Pakistani, they would give me troops," Annan said, introducing Qazi to reporters.

At the joint press conference, Qazi was asked as to what extent his appointment was dictated by the hope that Pakistan might be able to contribute troops. But instead Annan replied the question, saying that he does not think it is "fair" to ask Qazi this question and mostly repeated the answer he had given during his press conference Wednesday that Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf had offered to consider sending troops provided request came from the Iraqi Government and other Islamic countries also send the forces.

Annan said a request for troops had gone out to quite a few countries. Recently, the Iraqi Prime Minister Iyad Allawi also asked them to do so. "There is a move, an indication that Islamic countries may want to go to Iraq, may want to send troops."

"If that were to happen and group of Islamic States were to deploy, I hope Pakistan would be one of them," he added.