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U.S. seeks U.N. mission for Iraq

By Sridhar Krishnaswami

WASHINGTON AUG. 14. The U.S. has presented a resolution at the Security Council that would see the setting up of a United Nations mission in Iraq; and one that would also welcome the Iraqi Governing Council as "an important step" in the process of forming a real government in Baghdad.

The U.S. resolution was presented formally on Wednesday with the draft circulated among the 10 non-permanent members. Washington had apparently worked on the draft with the four other veto-holding nations, especially Russia, China and France. U.S. would like to have the resolution voted on and passed on Thursday after a meeting in New York. But Syria, which is currently the President of the Council, is not so sure that a vote can come about on Thursday. Indications are that if a vote is scheduled, Syria might abstain or vote against the resolution.

Indications are that this new resolution on Iraq is nowhere near what countries such as India, France and Germany wanted in terms of a United Nations mandate that will facilitate peacekeeping and `stabilisation' operations inside Iraq. A report in The New York Times says that the Bush administration has abandoned the idea of giving a larger role to the world body as sought by France and India and instead work with "other countries" to assist the occupation forces in Iraq. According to The Times, there is the consensus within the administration that it would be better to work with these countries than to involve the U.N. or with countries that opposed the war.

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