September 12, 2003	Friday	Rajab 14, 1424

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BEIJING, Sept 11: China supports ideas proposed by France, Germany and Russia to dilute US political power in Iraq and believes there should be a new Security Council resolution on the issue, a foreign ministry spokesman said here on Thursday.

Faced with mounting casualties and costs in Iraq, Washington wants the 15-member UN Security Council to authorize a multinational force so countries can contribute troops and money.

France, Germany and Russia have submitted amendments to the US resolution, approving American military leadership but downgrading US civilian control in favour of Iraqis and the United Nations.

“China supports the ideas put forward by France, Germany and Russia in the process of discussions in the Security Council,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Kong Quan told a news conference.

But he added: “We think, according to the current situation, there is a need for a new resolution.

“We are diligently researching the resolution put forward by the United States.”

Kong’s comments came as Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing prepared to head to Geneva to meet on Saturday with counterparts from the other four permanent members of the Security Council— the United States, France, Russia and Britain — at the invitation of Secretary-General Kofi Annan.

He said the resolution should help protect Iraq’s security, speed its rebuilding and aid the return of sovereignty to Iraq.

“To realise these goals, we think bringing the usefulness of the United Nations into full play is very important and cannot be done without,” he said.

China joined France, Germany and Russia in pre-war opposition to a US invasion of Iraq.

But analysts say China was relatively passive in its opposition to the invasion and has been generally conciliatory since then in order to maintain good ties with the United States.—Reuters