UN pledges help to form Iraq govt

But he did not give any proposals for a caretaker government to take power in June, saying Iraqis should determine its shape before the world body steps in. ‘‘We have absolutely no preferred options,’’ Annan told reporters. ‘‘We need to have the Iraqis discuss it. They must take ownership, discuss it amongst themselves, and we will try and work with them to find a consensus.’’

UN officials said it was likely Lakhdar Brahimi, a former Algerian foreign minister and senior adviser to Annan, would go to Iraq for another visit and help mediate a formula if the Iraqis and the US-led coalition do not produce one. The Bush administration, which is trying to re-engage the United Nations in efforts to stabilise the country, had asked the world body to come up with proposals for Iraq’s political future before and after the June 30 transfer of power.

Original American plans for the handover, which involved regional caucuses choosing an Assembly that would select a government, were derailed after a leading Iraqi Shi’ite cleric demanded early direct elections.

US officials have now publicly acknowledged that the caucus system is no longer possible. ‘‘It looked like a caucus system for finding a transitional Assembly and a transitional government might have worked, but it does not appear that that caucus system has the support needed for it to work,’’ Secretary of State Colin Powell told ABC Radio in an interview on Thursday.

But the proposal considered the most likely for an interim government is to increase the current US-selected Iraqi Governing Council to as many as 125 members, selected from the country’s disparate ethnic, religious and political groups. How this body would be selected is not clear yet.

The enlarged Council could select a government until democratic elections are held, probably late this year or early in 2005. It could also agree on ‘‘technical’’ rule, such as leaving the current ministers and administrators in office.

The majority Shi’ites, who have been pressing for early direct elections, will make strong demands for representation. Another issue still on the table is the interim constitution, due to be concluded on February 28. It was supposed to include provisions for a new interim government.

But Annan said the plan for a caretaker government would be ‘‘decoupled’’ from the constitutional arrangements and therefore did not have to be in place by next week.

In Baghdad on Thursday, Paul Bremer, the American civil administrator for Iraq, said again the June 30 deadline for handover would stand. An Italian newspaper reported on Friday that Bremer urged Italy and other countries to keep their troops in the country at least until December 2005. — (Reuters)