France, Germany, Russia back Chinese proposal for Iraq in UN

UNITED NATIONS -- Four key nations proposed major changes yesterday to the US-British draft resolution on Iraq, moves that would give the new Iraqi government the right to decide whether the multinational force remains in the country while limiting the force's mandate to January 2005.

A three-page proposal by China -- which diplomats said was supported by Russia, France, and Germany -- would give the interim government that takes over on June 30 greater authority than the resolution introduced to the UN Security Council on Monday by Britain and the United States.

The proposal, obtained by The Associated Press, was submitted to council members yesterday afternoon during a closed-door discussion of the US-British draft.

It would give the interim government control of the Iraqi Army and police and require the multinational force to ''consult with the interim government in respect of military actions except for self-defense." These issues are not mentioned in the US-British draft.

The amendment would also determine ''that the interim government of Iraq shall exercise full sovereignty, in the political, economic, security, judicial, and diplomatic areas, including the power to control and dispose all the natural and economic resources, sign economic cooperation agreements and contracts, and enjoy judicial independence and the power to administer prisons in Iraq."

The US-British draft endorses the formation of a sovereign interim Iraqi government that will ''assume the responsibility and authority" for governing the country by June 30, but doesn't spell out its powers.

It also makes no mention of the control of prisons, a sensitive issue following revelations of abuse of Iraqi detainees by US soldiers at Abu Ghraib prison in Baghdad.

The US-British draft reaffirms authorization for the multinational force currently in Iraq to continue to maintain security and stability, under a unified command. It would review the force's mandate in 12 months or at the request of the government that will be elected by early next year.

China's proposal would authorize the formation and deployment of a multinational force to assume ''primary responsibility for security during the transitional period." Its mandate would expire in January 2005, when elections are scheduled to be held.

The plan says that any extension ''should respect the views of the new Iraqi government to be elected and decided by the Security Council."