In an interview with the Frankfurter Rundschau, he said that Europe wanted the United Nations to be in charge of Iraq's post-war rehabilitation.

"If reconstruction is not placed under the UN, then I don't see any primary responsibility for Germany," he said.

"When you consider they are already reportedly looking for companies in the United States for reconstruction, then it seems obvious to me that the process will be secured by the US military."

Struck was reacting to comments Friday by the US national security advisor Condoleeza Rice that Iraq was a "unique" case and US and British forces would have the lead role in its post-war administration as they would have made the most sacrifices in bringing down President Saddam Hussein's regime.

Struck refused to speculate on a role for German troops in any peacekeeping role. "The deciding factor will be who controls the country. It should be the United Nations."

He said that if Germany or other EU nations were to get involved, it would be on the basis that the United Nations was in charge of assigning commercial contracts for reconstruction.

"It would be absurd to demand that Europe help finance the reconstruction, and then insist that certain European countries are not given contracts," the minister added.

Struck meanwhile also denied that there were any plans for Germany to send up to 1,500 military personnel to Iraq as part of a UN-led mission.

"There are no such plans," he said, following a report in Saturday's daily Die Welt.

SPACE.WIRE