BERLIN, (Reuters):
GERMAN CHANCELLOR, Gerhard Schroeder, yesterday said Iraq's territorial integrity must remain intact after the war, and that its oil and natural resources must remain under the control of the Iraqi people.
Schroeder also said the United Nations must play the central role in shaping post-war Iraq.
In the text of a speech to parliament, Schroeder said he remained opposed to the US-led war, but now hoped it would be over quickly and that the Iraqi people would be able to live in freedom from dictatorship.
"After this war, the United Nations must play the central role as far as the future of Iraq and the new political order is concerned. I would warn against speculating at this point about the details of the necessary reconstruction of Iraq," Schroeder said.
His comments came ahead of a foreign ministers' meeting in Brussels yesterday, at which Europe and the United States will square off over who should control post-war Iraq.
The United States expects to be in charge of running the oil-rich country if and when Iraqi leader, Saddam Hussein, is gone, arguing that it has risked the lives of its troops and spent billions of dollars to prepare Iraq for representative government.
But it also says it will welcome financial contributions from the United Nations and other countries to meet the immediate humanitarian needs of the Iraqi people and rebuild the country after what could be a devastating conflict.
European countries are balking at US expectations, setting the stage for some hard bargaining over how long Washington runs Iraq and who pays how much for reconstruction.
Schroeder said: "Reconstruction is much more than repairing buildings, oil wells and infrastructure. The real reconstruction of the society won't be achieved with a few contracts for companies... It is vital that reconstruction is organised under the auspices of the United Nations."
Schroeder, whose opposition to war has hurt relations with the United States, said he regarded four points as essential in post-war Iraq:
Iraq's territorial integrity must remain intact and its independence and political sovereignty fully restored.
Iraq's people must determine their own political future and the rights of minorities in the country must be preserved.
Oil and other natural resources must remain under the ownership and control of the Iraqi people and benefit them.
There must be a process of political stabilisation which gives a prospect for peace in the entire region.
