LONDON, March 29: The leader of a new grouping of Iraqi opposition figures in exile on Saturday rejected plans for a US military administration in post-war Iraq, and called for a UN-backed transitional authority to be set up.

Adnan Pachachi said a US military administration was “in no way acceptable”, drawing applause from some 300 exiles who had arrived for a meeting at a London hotel.

The gathering of the Independent Iraqis for Democracy (IID) opened on Saturday morning. It was attended by participants from around the world, many from the United States, including Shia and Sunni Muslims and Kurds.

The IID consists mainly of liberal, independent figures. Participants at the meeting also included two important religious Shiite figures, Mohamed Bahr al Ulum, and Hussein al Sadr.

The IID is keen to differentiate itself from the mainstream US-backed opposition, which consists of six groups including the Iraqi National Congress (INC) of Ahmed Chalabi and the two main Kurdish parties.

Washington recently sounded out Pachachi about his willingness to take part in a future administration. But while agreeing to serve during a transition period he said he vehemently opposed many US ideas for a post-war Iraq and the Middle East.

“We want the UN to help us during a period of provisional administration” in Iraq, said Pachachi, an 80-year-old former foreign minister and ambassador to the United Nations, who fled Iraq in 1968.

The United States has made clear it is reluctant to allow the United Nations a role in the post-war running of Iraq and hopes to run an interim military administration before handing over to a friendly government.

Pachachi now lives in the United Arab Emirates, and appears to have the support of that country and of several Arab states in the Gulf.—AFP