WP: New Iraq Proposal Offered to U.N.

In Its Bid for Aid, U.S. Moves to Give Iraqis More Control

Tuesday, October 14, 2003; Page A01

UNITED NATIONS, Oct. 13 -- The Bush administration Monday offered a series of concessions aimed at increasing Iraqis' control over their future, in a final drive to win U.N. Security Council backing for a resolution calling on nations to provide more money and troops to support the U.S. occupation of Iraq.

The resolution, in calling for the establishment of a new multinational force for Iraq, reaffirms the authority of the United States and its military allies to command that force and administer the country. But it also states that the U.S.-approved Iraqi Governing Council and its ministers "will embody the sovereignty of the State of Iraq." And for the first time, it sets a deadline -- Dec. 15 -- for the 24-member council to present a firm timetable for writing a constitution and holding elections.

Senior U.N. officials and council diplomats said that by granting a symbolic measure of sovereignty to Iraqis and dropping a demand that U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan play an immediate political role in Iraq, the United States had improved its chances for success in the council. "It is a little bit easier for us to live with than previous versions," a senior U.N. official said.

more…
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A21713-2003Oct13.html

It looks like other SC members think so, too.

French Foreign Minister Dominique de Villepin conceded that the latest U.S. draft made "progress," but he questioned whether "this progress is enough" to improve the situation in Iraq. "That is why we want first to be able to analyze this text more deeply," he said.

China's U.N. ambassador, Wang Guangya, said that he was a "bit disappointed" by the latest version of the U.S. resolution but that it "represents improvement." He said that more changes needed to be made "to clarify the question of who retains ultimate sovereignty over Iraq" and to "leave the door open to a further role" in Iraq.

A Russian spokesman at the United Nations, Sergey Trepelkov, told the Associated Press that it would be "very difficult to reach consensus on this issue" unless the resolution includes a clear timetable for the transfer of authority to Iraqis and a "crucial central role" for the United Nations


Edited for the usual stuff

From the WP article: "But it also states that the U.S.-approved Iraqi Governing Council and its ministers "will embody the sovereignty of the State of Iraq.""

--snip--

And:

Iraq Council Memeber: Iraq to Back Syria

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20031013/ap_on_re_mi_ea/syria_iraq_1

--snip--

Now that's an interesting equation.

Pssssst. Georgie, give the UN whatever it takes schmucko, while your leisurely teeing off our soldiers are being blown to bits by your Mickey Mouse plan.

Please continue discussion in the original, earliest LBN thread on this topic, which can be found here:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=164281

kskiska, your link to the Washington Post story would be very helpful in the other thread, and I hope you'll post it there!

Thanks,
VolcanoJen
DU Moderator