UNITED NATIONS, Aug 22: UN Secretary General Kofi Annan said Friday it would be “very difficult” to reach a new resolution on sending troops to Iraq unless US-led coalition forces were willing to cede some operational responsibility.

Following a meeting in New York with British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw, Annan reiterated that there was no question of sending an official UN “blue helmet” peacekeeping force to Iraq.

“But it is not excluded that the Security Council may decide to transform the operation and to have a UN-mandated multinational force operating on the ground,” Mr Annan said.

“But of course ... it would also imply not just burden-sharing but also sharing decisions and responsibility.

“If that doesn’t happen, I think it’s going to be very difficult to get a second resolution.”—AFP