WASHINGTON, April 19: US officials entrusted with the task of setting up a new government in Iraq say that an interim authority could start functioning in Baghdad in weeks, rather than months.

Talking to various American television channels and other news outlets on Saturday, the officials said the Bush administration realizes that a prolonged stay in Baghdad could turn the Iraqi people against US forces and wants to hand over power to a civilian administration as soon as possible.

The officials, who are part of the organization put together by the Pentagon’s administrator in Iraq, retired army Lt. Gen. Jay Garner, also indicated that a pro-American Iraqi opposition leader, Ahmad Chalabi, could play an important role in the new administration.

Mr Chalabi, however, is a controversial figure, in part because of financial scandals in his past, and he is little known within Iraq after decades in exile.

They said the interim authority would be chosen by Iraqis but before such a government took over, Gen. Garner and his aides would complete the task of restoring basic services to major Iraqi cities.

The reconstruction, however, will not take more than a few weeks, the officials said.

The officials said that it was still not decided what role the United Nations should play in Iraq. The Bush administration has said it will welcome a UN role in the reconstruction of Iraq but also indicated that the world body will not have much of a say in the new political setup.