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Coalition Set for Long Iraq Role
BBC NEWS http://news.bbc.co.uk/ May 21, 2003 Occupying US and British forces are due to stay for a long-term role in Iraq, British officials say. The top UK civilian in Baghdad, John Sawers, has said he does not expect elections there to be held in under a year - and coalition troops would continue to run the country until then. Mr Sawers made the remarks as the United Nations Security Council was due to begin discussing a new draft resolution on post-war Iraq. The revised text submitted by Washington in an attempt to convince fellow Council members to lift UN sanctions against Iraq includes a greater input from the United Nations. But it also says the US and British occupation will continue until an internationally recognised government chosen by Iraqis assumes its responsibilities. Not ready Mr Sawers told the French news agency, AFP, that he hoped an interim Iraqi administration could soon be formed, although its role would be to draw up a new constitution. US and British forces would continue the day-to-day running of Iraq, he said, denting the hopes of some Iraqi exile leaders who returned expecting to assume office quickly. "I haven't talked to any Iraqi who thinks the job can de done better by some ad-hoc committee than by the coalition itself," Mr Sawers said. "They as politicians obviously want to build on their leadership roles and attract support in the country, but it will only be possible to hand over power to an Iraqi Government when it has been genuinely elected by the Iraqi people." Rubbish cleared Reacting to the situation on the ground, the US post-war administration in Iraq has announced a huge cleanup of rubbish in Baghdad. The BBC's David Bamford, reporting from the Iraqi capital, says the thousands of tons of putrefying waste are posing a serious health hazard.
Clearing the rubbish is important, he says, but Baghdadis say there is little sign of the Americans tackling even more vital issues of improving security and fully restoring electricity and water supplies. As for Washington's long-term intentions, our correspondent says there is an inbuilt assumption among Iraqis that President Bush wants some sort of payback to cover the costs of the war and enhance its strategic and economic position in the Middle East. The current draft resolution, while proposing that oil money will go into a special development fund for the Iraqi people, still leaves open the way for the US and Britain to spend some of that money on oil and reconstruction contracts. Iraqis believe American corporations favoured by the Bush administration will benefit regardless of merit, our correspondent says. Concessions The Council is due to discuss the draft later on Tuesday, and US ambassador to the UN John Negroponte said members should be prepared for a final vote from Wednesday onwards. But while presenting some concessions, Mr Negroponte added that the US could not go much further to accommodate other members of the Security Council. Russia has been anxious to secure UN involvement in Iraq to avoid losing billions of dollars owed by Baghdad and invested in Iraqi oil projects. Its position is broadly supported by China and France, who also opposed the US-led invasion of Iraq, and all three have veto powers in the Security Council. Correspondents say it is unlikely any permanent member of the Security Council will veto the draft although there could be abstentions. Although the US appears to already have the necessary support of at least nine members of the 15-strong Council, Secretary of State Colin Powell has called for a "15-0" result.
Direct Link: --http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/world/middle_east/3043583.stm
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