October 17, 2003	Friday	Sha'aban 20, 1424

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UNITED NATIONS, Oct 16: Pakistan on Thursday ruled out sending troops to Iraq, even though the UN Security Council unanimously passed a resolution authorizing a multinational force.

“Pakistan will not be able to contribute troops for the multinational force in Iraq,” the country’s UN ambassador, Munir Akram, told the council following the vote.

Like France, Germany and Russia, Pakistan believed that its reservations about the measure — pushed through after weeks of diplomatic haggling — would not allow it to send any troops, he said.

He said he had hoped the resolution would spell out for the multinational troops “a separate and distinct identity from the occupation forces,” which Pakistan had repeatedly said was a major concern.—AFP