May 26 (Bloomberg) -- China, France, Germany and Russia say a U.S. and U.K. draft resolution on Iraq shouldn't be adopted by the United Nations Security Council until the Iraqi people and neighboring countries accept the interim government that is scheduled to take over from the U.S.-led coalition June 30.
``Our positions are similar,'' Russian envoy Alexander Konuzin said. ``If the government is accepted by Iraqi society it will be very easy to quickly finalize the resolution. We shall consult the new leaders. We shall invite them here.''
The four Security Council members -- including permanent members China, France and Russia, which could veto the resolution -- will make their case when the 15 members meet in private today. Their position, outlined in a Chinese memo, which Pakistan's Ambassador Munir Akram said was titled ``Run Iraq by Iraqis,'' might delay a vote for several weeks.
The U.S. and U.K. offered the Security Council a resolution Monday that gives U.S.-led forces in Iraq authority to maintain security after the interim government is installed. The U.S. wants the UN to endorse the interim government to build international support for Iraq's recovery from the war to end Saddam Hussein's regime.
Lakhdar Brahimi, the UN's top envoy to Iraq, is in Baghdad trying to identify leaders of the government. He is ``weeding out'' candidates for prime minister, president, two vice president and 26 heads of ministries, according to UN spokesman Fred Eckhard, who said he didn't know when Brahimi would finish the process.
Konuzin repeated Russia's call for a conference in New York that would include leaders of the interim government and representatives of neighboring countries such as Iran, Jordan, Syria and Turkey. He called acceptance of the interim government by Iraq's neighbors ``very important'' to the resolution's adoption.
Bloomberg.com
``Our positions are similar,'' Russian envoy Alexander Konuzin said. ``If the government is accepted by Iraqi society it will be very easy to quickly finalize the resolution. We shall consult the new leaders. We shall invite them here.''
The four Security Council members -- including permanent members China, France and Russia, which could veto the resolution -- will make their case when the 15 members meet in private today. Their position, outlined in a Chinese memo, which Pakistan's Ambassador Munir Akram said was titled ``Run Iraq by Iraqis,'' might delay a vote for several weeks.
The U.S. and U.K. offered the Security Council a resolution Monday that gives U.S.-led forces in Iraq authority to maintain security after the interim government is installed. The U.S. wants the UN to endorse the interim government to build international support for Iraq's recovery from the war to end Saddam Hussein's regime.
Lakhdar Brahimi, the UN's top envoy to Iraq, is in Baghdad trying to identify leaders of the government. He is ``weeding out'' candidates for prime minister, president, two vice president and 26 heads of ministries, according to UN spokesman Fred Eckhard, who said he didn't know when Brahimi would finish the process.
Konuzin repeated Russia's call for a conference in New York that would include leaders of the interim government and representatives of neighboring countries such as Iran, Jordan, Syria and Turkey. He called acceptance of the interim government by Iraq's neighbors ``very important'' to the resolution's adoption.
Bloomberg.com
