World reaction to US-UK resolution on Iraq

The United States and Britain introduced a draft resolution on Iraq on Monday, seeking the United Nations Security Council's endorsement for the Iraqi power transfer and its authorization of the continued stay of the multinational force in Iraq after June 30.

The following is reaction of a number of countries to the US-British resolution:

China -- China on Wednesday proposed major amendments to the US-British draft resolution on Iraq, calling for a time limit on the stay of the US-led multinational force as well as a say by Iraqis on its operations after power is transferred to a new Iraqi government on June 30.

In a three-page paper, China said that the multinational force's mandate shall expire in January 2005 in keeping with the timetable of Iraqi political process, and its extension should have the consent of the new Iraqi government and be decided by theSecurity Council.

Germany -- The US-British blueprint for the handover of sovereignty in Iraq provides a "very good foundation" for efforts to reach a consensus at the United Nations, Germany's Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer said Tuesday.

The foundation of the proposal is a "good basis to begin the work and to begin to improve the plan," he said, noting that "the important thing is that the (June 30) timeframe is kept to."

France -- France, a veto-wielding member of the UN Security Council, said on Monday that the US-British draft resolution must ensure the proposed Iraqi interim government has a say over actions taken by US-led forces.

"Let's respect that date (June 30) and ensure that the future government is really sovereign," said French Foreign Minister Michel Barnier.

Russia -- Russia said on Tuesday it will only discuss a new UN resolution on Iraq after a new "legitimate" interim government is formed in Iraq.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that the mission ofUN special envoy to Iraq Lakhdar Brahimi offers the opportunity to"discover if there is agreement in Iraqi society, to what extent the new government is seen as legitimate."

"Only after receiving this information will we be able to studythe question of recognizing this government," he told Russia's parliament.

Italy -- Italy, a close US ally on Iraq and a troop contributorto US-led forces, welcomed the draft. "It is good news for peace,"Italy's European Affairs Minister Rocco Buttiglione said in a statement.

Iraq -- Ghazi Mashal Ajil al-Yawer, head of the Iraqi GoverningCouncil, said on Tuesday he and his colleagues discussed the US-British draft proposal and "found it less than our expectations."