UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan urged more countries to join efforts to stabilize Iraq and said the United States was intensifying talks with France, Germany and Russia -- all of which opposed the war.
Annan said on Sunday that he believed the three key opponents of the US-led invasion weren't prepared "at this stage" to send troops to join occupation forces in Iraq. But he didn't rule out the possibility of their sending troops in the future.
"It would be extremely helpful to the process if we can really internationalize the efforts in Iraq and bring in everybody," he said in an interview on the US' NBC television network that focused largely on Iraq.
If more countries deploy troops, Annan said, the US might reduce its force, "but it will depend on how fast and how quickly we are able to get other governments to join and provide troops."
As Annan's envoy Lakhdar Brahimi prepares to return to Iraq this week, questions remain about the interim government he is trying to assemble to take over from the occupiers on June 30, including whether it will have limited or complete sovereignty and the future of coalition military forces.
Annan said the US and Britain, as the occupying powers in Iraq, should transfer complete sovereignty, acknowledging that any interim government would have limited powers because an elected government would take over after voting scheduled for January 2005.
Annan said he expects the UN Security Council to adopt a new resolution authorizing the foreign forces now in Iraq to remain after June 30 and encourage governments "to come together in a genuine international effort to help stabilize Iraq."
The council has already authorized the current multinational force of 138,000 US troops and 24,900 troops from other countries.
Asked if it would be helpful if US President George W. Bush sat down with the Germans, French, Russians and other countries that opposed the war to reach some kind of reconciliation, Annan replied: "I think we need to do whatever we can to pull in all countries."
He said US Secretary of State Colin Powell was in Germany recently and Bush had spoken to some key leaders. "I think the contacts and discussions are intensifying," Annan said.
He said he did not think France, Germany or Russia were ready to provide troops "at this stage," but added, "Down the line, one never knows."
Brahimi has come under fire for claiming his efforts in Iraq have been thwarted by Israel's "policy of domination and the suffering imposed on the Palestinians," which he called a "great poison."
Annan said this was Brahimi's perception of the public's views in the region, and expressed hope that these would not undermine his Iraq mission.
"One may disagree with the words he used, and I'm sure he himself would not use those words again. But I think to use his statement to prevent him from playing a constructive role would be a mistake," Annan said.
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