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Bush administration describes secondary role for UN in Iraq
( 2003-04-11 08:13 ) (7 )

The Bush administration made it clearer than ever Thursday, in sketching its vision for a democratically run Iraq, that it sees a decidedly secondary role for the United Nations in that country when the shooting is over.

"The UN can be an important partner," Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz told the Senate Armed Services Committee.

But he quickly added that he hoped the international organization could play "a much more positive role in the future" than it has in the past.

"And I think there's reason to think that it can and will," Mr. Wolfowitz went on. "But it can't be the managing partner. It can't be in charge. We need to make sure that certain functions are working smoothly from day one, and I think the goal should be to pass that responsibility as quickly as possible to Iraqis."

The deputy secretary envisioned an Iraqi interim authority, which he said would draw from all of the country's religious and ethnic groups, embracing people now in the country and those who are outside. Organization of that entity can begin almost at once, he said.

"It will provide a way for Iraqis to begin immediately to direct the political and economic reconstruction of their country," Mr. Wolfowitz told the lawmakers. "The authority would include not only members of the free Iraqi groups that have fought Saddam's tyranny, and the independents among the expatriate community, but will also draw from local leaders who have already begun to participate with the coalition in the liberation of Iraq."

The White House, too, said the Iraqis are already demonstrating their ability to govern themselves. "There is a town in western Iraq in which the mayor and the town council have already started working very closely with coalition forces," said Ari Fleischer, President Bush's chief spokesman. "They're beginning their self-governance once again."

As for the ground-breaking talks to set up a new national government in Iraq, Mr. Fleischer said Secretary-General Kofi Annan would be invited to send a United Nations representative. "He would be most welcome," Mr. Fleischer said.

Mr. Wolfowitz's theme at the Senate hearing, which could be rendered in short as "Iraq for the Iraqis," was not new. But the deputy secretary's comments were significant in view of the Bush administration's lingering dissatisfaction with the United Nations and its apparent failure, at least in President Bush's view, to rise much beyond the level of an international debating society.

The Pentagon official's comments could indicate continuing strong disagreement with Britain, which has been America's staunch ally in the war against Iraq but would like to see a stronger role for the United Nations afterward than Washington sees.

Mr. Wolfowitz said he strongly agreed with the committee chairman, Senator John W. Warner of Virginia, who said the main partners in the military campaign in Iraq ?the United States and Britain ?should manage post-war Iraq, at least in the early going.

"I think you're absolutely correct in that," Mr. Wolfowitz replied. "And I think what we are trying to avoid is a situation that we have seen in other places in the world where Iraq might become a sort of permanent ward of the international community. There's no reason for that to happen. This is a country that has every capability of administering itself, of handling basic functions, and I believe creating a viable government."

The official said France, Russia and Germany ?three countries that opposed the campaign in Iraq ?could contribute to rebuilding Iraq by writing off at least some of the loans they made to Iraq in recent years.

Leaders of the three European countries are to meet in St. Petersburg, Russia, on Friday to talk about Iraq's future. "I think they ought to consider whether it might not be appropriate to forgive some or all of that debt so that the new Iraqi government isn't burdened with it," Mr. Wolfowitz said. "There's a great deal they can do. This is a time to think about the future."

The three countries lent Iraq about $8 billion each, largely for sales and contracts from the 1980's. Mr. Wolfowitz said he could see the United Nations helping in the very early stages, "when things like food and water and medicine and basic services have to be delivered." But in saying that, he portrayed the United Nations as a giant charitable and relief organization rather than a governmental entity.

Mr. Wolfowitz also made it clear that Washington's relations with France, which opposed the campaign in Iraq, may not be smoothed over quickly. The deputy secretary took the opportunity to talk about the French when the hearing turned for a moment to the subject of NATO enlargement.

"I agree the French have behaved in ways, particularly since we're here to talk about NATO, that have been very damaging to NATO," Mr. Wolfowitz said. "I think France is going to pay some consequences, not just with us but with other countries who view it that way. But I don't think we want to make the Iraqi people the victims of that particular quarrel."