Bulgarian President Georgy Parvanovappealed Tuesday for a strong UN role in Iraq.

"A rapid and efficient UN engagement" in Iraq is necessary, the head of the state made the remarks at a meeting with the pressafter his convoy was fired at during a weekend visit to the Bulgarian unit in Iraq.

Parvanov said he would meet with Polish President Alexander Kwasniewski soon and they would jointly push for a strong United Nations role in Iraq.

"The mission in Iraq will take on a different character if it were to proceed under the auspices of the United Nations, with soldiers taken from elsewhere, for example from Arab countries, because at the moment the extremists are turning this into a clashof religions in order to justify a holy war," Parvanov said.

"Iraq's problems could be solved not only by force. We also have to engage in dialogue with the role players there," the president said.

Parvanov also demanded that the Bulgarian troops be moved to a new base outside the Iraqi city of Karbala by June 30 when the United States hands over power to Iraqi authorities.

Bulgarian troops in Karbala have been repeatedly attacked this month. A Bulgarian soldier was killed on Friday in an ambush, adding fuel to an already intense debate over the unit's safety. Four others were injured there in recent armed conflict.

Bulgaria has a 500-member light infantry battalion in the south-central city of Karbala, forming part of the multinational forces under the Polish command. Its main duties are patrolling the center of the city and guarding City Hall and police headquarters.

On Dec. 27 last year, five Bulgarian soldiers were killed and 26 others injured in a car-bomb attack.

Source: Xinhua