MADRID, Sept 30: Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero on Thursday urged the United Nations to undertake initiatives to resolve the crisis in Iraq.

"Things are going badly in Iraq because we didn't go through the United Nations. Things are better in Afghanistan because we did go through the UN," Zapatero said at a joint news conference with visiting Bulgarian counterpart Simeon Saxe-Coburg.

Mr Zapatero said it was vital for the UN members to establish a consensus on Iraq, leaving old differences aside. "Spain does not want an initiative which opens old wounds but wants to see a consensus whereby a path is opened towards stability and democracy in Iraq," Mr Zapatero told reporters.

The Spanish leader reiterated comments made earlier in the week that it was up to the United Nations to organize any international conference on the future of Iraq, which under a French proposal would include representatives of the armed opposition. -AFP