Annan seeks 'unity' over Iraq

By Greg Barrow BBC United Nations correspondent

United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan has urged members of the security council to set aside past differences and focus on helping Iraqis run their country.

In a speech to the council, Mr Annan said that over the coming weeks, members would have to reach important decisions regarding UN sanctions, the oil-for-food programme and weapons inspections.

The council now has a chance to leave behind earlier disagreements and find unity of purpose

Kofi Annan

The security council has yet to begin discussions about a new resolution that would address the changed circumstances in Iraq.

A draft is being worked on in Washington, and diplomats expect the United States to put forward its new proposals in the next week or so.

Nobody here expects the passage of such a resolution to be smooth.

Most are anticipating a return of the divisions which emerged between the US and Britain on the one hand, and France, Russia and Germany on the other during the run-up to military intervention in Iraq.

Transition

Anticipating this, Mr Kofi Annan is attempting to set the tone for a more productive debate:

"The council now has a chance to leave behind earlier disagreements and find unity of purpose in the post-war phase," he said.

French opposition to war highlighted deep divisions within the council

"I would urge you to set aside past divisions and ask yourselves what would help the Iraqi people most".

In his speech Mr Annan suggested the security council's overriding objective should be to enable the Iraqi people to take charge of their own destiny.

Those words could indicate support for a suspension or lifting of UN sanctions.

He added that Iraq needed an impartial, representative and transparent process leading to the establishment of a credible and legitimate political authority.

Some at the UN have suggested this will be difficult to achieve if the political transition in Iraq is managed almost entirely by America.