Iraqi government rejects use of non-US peacekeepers

THE US-chosen government of Iraq said yesterday that it does not want peacekeepers from other countries to replace US-led forces, ending days of disputes over proposals by Turkey to commit peacekeeping troops.

Instead, members of the Iraqi Governing Council told a news conference at the Organisation of the Islamic Conference summit in Malaysia that they were seeking a formula under which Iraq could take charge of its own security as soon as possible.

The United States is seeking troops from other countries to relieve its 130,000 forces in Iraq.