New Iraq blueprint released

The United States and Britain have released a revised resolution on post-occupation Iraq that would give the new interim government control over the Iraqi army and police and end the mandate for the multi-national force by January 2006 at the latest.

The occupying powers, which will relinquish sovereignty on June 30, hoped the new draft, circulated early today, would allay a variety of concerns raised by United Nations Security Council members about the new government’s powers and how much say Iraqis had over US-led forces intended to keep the peace.