UN Resolution on Iraq Handover ‘Inadequate’

Hushyar Zibari said the interim Iraqi government must have some authority over the multinational force in Iraq and that the views of the new US-appointed government should be taken into consideration when major military offensives are undertaken in the country.

On Friday, the United States and Britain revised their UN Security Council resolution on transferring sovereignty to Iraq, giving the country’s new interim government authority to order the US-led multi-national force to leave at any time.

Zibari also said it was "necessary to spell out what full sovereignty means for the Iraqis".

"Which areas will it cover and which areas are problematic? We have to balance the concept of full sovereignty with our need as Iraqis for the continued presence of the multinational force in our country and what kind of working relations we are going to find out to regulate that relation, because we do need these forces to stay here to help us."

The previous draft introduced on Tuesday declared the council’s readiness to terminate the force’s mandate by January 2006 or at the request of the transitional government formed after elections held by 31 January 2005.

Final say

The revised draft circulated to Security Council members includes what US Secretary of State Colin Powell and British Prime Minister Tony Blair have stated publicly – that American and British troops will leave if asked.

Zibari said the incoming government wanted the multinational force to stay in Iraq to prevent civil war.

"If you are talking about a sovereign government, at the end of the day really you should have a say in the final status of these forces."

He added that he thought it was important "the relation is organised in a way that the new Iraqi interim government can exercise its authority in terms of undertaking major offensive operations that would have serious security and political repercussions on the country as a whole".

Zibari said he did not see the force leaving before power is transferred to the transitional government early next year.