Russia said today there was no consensus yet among UN Security Council members on a new draft US-British resolution on Iraq.
"The resolution may be put to a vote by its co-authors at any time, that is their right," Foreign Minister Mr Sergei Lavrov told a news conference in the Norwegian capital Oslo. "But it is too early to say that a consensus can be achieved on this resolution."
UN Security Council diplomats are seeking clarification on the revised draft resolution, which purports to give Iraq considerable authority over its security and economy.
The United States and Britain yesterday submitted a second draft of a resolution on Iraq that would give the interim Iraqi government, which takes power on June 30th, control of its police, border patrols and other security forces and limit the stay of a US-led multinational force.
The draft was careful not to stipulate a date to end the mandate of the force but says clearly it would expire after Iraq drafts a new constitution and elects a government, tentatively scheduled late in 2005 or early 2006.
The original measure had an open-ended mandate for the foreign troops, now about 160,000-strong, with only a review process.
The new text, however, still gives the US-led force authority to take "all necessary measures" to provide stability. And it leaves open details of its relationship with the interim government to a separate exchange of letters.
But the draft says Iraqi forces would "progressively play a greater role and ultimately assume responsibility for the maintenance of security and stability in Iraq."
"We felt we needed to analyse it in more depth so as not to make mistakes," said Algeria's UN ambassador, Abdallah Baali, after emerging from council consultations. He said the resolution should make clear Iraqi troops have the right to refuse a military order from the US command.
Chinese and French diplomats made similar comments during the council talks, participants reported.
However, US deputy ambassador, Mr James Cunningham, indicated this provision would not be negotiable. "Now that's a relationship between two sovereigns: those who are willing to contribute to the MNF (multinational force) and help Iraq, and the sovereign government," he said. "But that's really something for us to work out amongst ourselves."
No vote has been scheduled and is not expected to be held by D-Day celebrations on June 6th, the original target date.
Council members first want to hear from UN envoy Mr Lakhdar Brahimi, who has spent most of this month in Baghdad trying to forge an interim government, as well as Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshiyar Zebari, who is en route to New York.
The new version, designed to meet objections from France, Germany, China, Russia and others to the original text, affirms that the new Iraqi interim government will be "fully sovereign" after the June 30th official handover.
The government that is to take office on June 30th is to be followed by elections for a transitional government in January 2005, with a permanent government envisaged to take power by about early 2006.
UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan acknowledged the selection was problematic but said he had no complaints.
"I think we all have to recognise that the process wasn't perfect and it was a difficult environment," he told reporters. "And I think, given the circumstances, I believe Mr Brahimi did as best as he could."