"We do not see any role at all for NATO at the moment," said the official, who asked not to be named.

Security in Iraq "can only be managed under the auspices of the United Nations," he added.

The United States, which invaded Iraq with British backing on March 20, has proposed to involve NATO in keeping order in the postwar period.

However several leading members of the alliance, notably France, Germany and Belgium, have strongly opposed the US-led operation.

The German statement came as Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder was due to meet with the leaders of France and Russia in the Russian city of Saint Petersburg for talks on the war.

SPACE.WIRE