Iraq council 'will have veto on military'

THE new Iraqi government will be able to veto coalition military operations once it assumes power in July, British Prime Minister Tony Blair said yesterday.

His comments have yet to be confirmed by the White House, where the issue is highly sensitive.

But they came as Iraqi defence minister Ali Alawi in London for talks also played down the role of a multi-national force later this year, saying they could be in the country for only months, not years.

The Prime Minister said once sovereignty passed over on June 30, coalition commanders would require the consent of the Iraqis for operations like the recent US assault on Fallujah.

He told his regular monthly press conference: "The transfer of sovereignty has to be real and genuine.

"Let me make it 100% clear, after June 30 there will be the full transfer of sovereignty to the Iraqi government.

"If there is a political decision as to whether you go into a place like Fallujah in a particular way, that has to be done with the consent of the Iraqi government and the final political control remains with the Iraqi government."

Mr Blair's comments were intended to drive home the message that the June 30 transfer would mark a real change in Iraq, as US and British diplomats try to secure agreement on a United Nations resolution endorsing the handover of power.

His remarks also came against a background of continuing speculation that Mr Blair himself might address the UN, either to set the seal on such a resolution or to make a last-ditch appeal for broad backing for the legitimacy of the new Iraqi administration.

Mr Blair stressed that the transfer of sovereignty would not involve putting British troops under the command of the new Iraqi government.

"No one can order British troops to do things they don't want to do," he said.

He said that British forces would only remain in Iraq so long as it was necessary to provide security.

Mr Blair refused to be drawn on a suggestion by Mr Alawi, who was in London for talks with Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon, that the Iraqis could be ready to take over security in a matter of months.

Mr Alawi told a Ministry of Defence news conference just before Mr Blair spoke: "The timing of a presence of a multinational force, it is a question of months rather than years.

"It would be unusual not to be able to install security during the next year."

Mr Blair played down suggestions that the Iraqi Governing Council was unhappy with the draft United Nations resolution tabled by Britain and the US.

And he expressed confidence that agreement could be reached in the UN.

"The prospects for international agreement are good," he insisted.