United Nations, Nov 18: United Nations has come under pressure from us, European governments and Iraqi governing council to play a major role in Iraq's transition to self-government but Secretary General Kofi Annan has made it clear that Baghdad was not secure enough for his staff to return. Annan, who advocates a role independent of US-led coalition but opposes any military or administrative take over as the world body did in East Timor and Kosovo, has taken a cautious approach and asserted that the UN was ready to play its role in Iraq but "...The security condition has to be appropriate."

He said that he had discussed the new transition plan with US Secretary of State Colin Powell and coalition's Deputy Administrator Britian's Jeremy Greenstock and Jalal Talabani, the Kurdish leader who is this month's president of the US-appointed Governing Council.

Bureau Report