President Vladimir Putin of Russia, Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder of Germany and President Jacques Chirac of France -- who all objected to the US-led invasion of Iraq without UN approval -- are pushing for the United Nations to oversee the transition to a post-Saddam administration.

The talks, in Saint Petersburg's Grand Hotel Europe, follow separate bilateral meetings between Putin and each of his two guests.

"Moscow and Berlin believe the main task is to urgently return the Iraqi settlement process to within the framework of the United Nations," Putin said after his talks with Schroeder.

Russia and Germany "must do everything to preserve the stability of the system of international law, which is based on the supremacy of the United Nations," he said.

Schroeder endorsed his view, adding: "You have to respect the UN Charter in all situations."

Prior to the conflict, UN Secretary General Kofi Annan said that an attack against Iraq without UN Security Council approval would run counter to the UN Charter, but US President George W. Bush and other officials charged that the world body had failed to assume its responsibilities.

Russia, Germany and France are demanding that the Iraq issue be discussed again in the UN Security Council to lend legitimacy to the postwar reconstruction programme in Iraq.

Under US plans, retired US general Jay Garner is expected to run Iraq's postwar interim administration.

Bush and his close ally British Prime Minister Tony Blair said that the UN would play a "vital role" in postwar Iraq, but provided no specific details.

SPACE.WIRE