Rice reaffirms lead US-British role in post-war Iraq

WASHINGTON (AFP) Apr 05, 2003
US national security advisor Condoleeza Rice insisted Friday that Iraq is a "unique" case and that US and British forces will have the lead role in Iraq's post-war administration.

"The United Nations role is not what is in discussion right now," Rice told reporters as the US administration faced strong European calls for the United Nations to take the lead in rebuilding Iraq.

"I would caution that Iraq is not East Timor, or Kosovo or Afghanistan. Iraq is unique."

Rice said the United States, Britain and their allies should take priority as they had made most sacrifices in the campaign to bring down Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein.

"It would only be natural to expect that after having participated and having liberated Iraq with coalition forces, and having given life and blood to liberate Iraq, that the coalition intends to have a leading role," she said.

"I don't think anybody is surprised by that."

France, Germany, Russia and other opponents of the war have made strong calls for the United Nations to take over Iraq after the conflict. British Prime Minister Tony Blair has also called for United Nations involvement.

He said an article for the Egyptian newspaper Al-Ahram that the United States and Britain will place Iraq's future oil revenue in a UN-supervised account.

SPACE.WIRE