France and Germany have responded coolly to a US move to win a United Nations mandate for a peacekeeping force for Iraq.
"We are ready to examine the proposals but they seem quite far from what appears to us the primary objective, namely the transfer of political responsibility to an Iraqi government as soon as possible," French President Jacques Chirac said.
Facing almost daily casualties in Iraq, Washington has drafted a new UN resolution aimed at getting more countries to contribute soldiers and cash to its occupation. But it insists on full US military control and a dominant political role.
German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder told a news conference with Chirac that the proposals showed movement in the US position but did not go far enough. He said that while France and Germany opposed the US-led war in Iraq, they now wanted to help bring stability and democracy to the country.
"Such a perspective can only develop if the United Nations takes over responsibility for the political process and if an Iraqi administration is installed," Mr Schroeder said.
The proposed UN resolution marked a policy reversal for the administration of US President George W. Bush, which had resisted UN involvement after the Security Council's refusal to approve the war that toppled Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein.
France, Russia, China and Germany were among nations on the Security Council which opposed the war.