Downer, who met Tuesday with Secretary of State Colin Powell and other senior US officials, said those within the administration of President George W. Bush who opposed any UN role in Iraq had lost the argument.

Key US officials remain angered over the UN's failure to adopt a new resolution authorizing the war to oust Saddam Hussein and had fought to prevent the world body gaining a role in Iraq's reconstruction, he said.

"But I think that view, if it hasn't changed, that argument has been won by those who believe there should be a role for the UN," Downer told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation radio.

"I think the idea of a United Nations special representative or special coordinator is one they feel comfortable with as well," he said, acknowledging though that the United States would "inevitably" control Iraq for an interim period after the war before handing authority back to Iraqis.

"The Americans feel it would be much better to move from an American occupation to an Iraqi administration as quickly as possible," Downer said.

The minister said he pressed his case in Washington for Australian economic role in post-war Iraq, notably in agriculture.

"We have a lot of experience dealing with Iraqis through our wheat market there but also they've done dealings with Iraq in areas like dry land farming," he said.

Some Australian officials have expressed concern that mass shipments of subsidised US grain to Iraq will freeze Australia out of what had been a key market for its wheat.

Downer was also meeting in Washington with Vice President Dick Cheney, presidential national security advisor Condoleezza Rice and the heads of the World Bank and International Monetary Fund.

He was due to visit the United Nations in New York on Wednesday.

SPACE.WIRE