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Islamic countries urge U.N. to take central role in Iraq

PUTRAJAYA (MALAYSIA), APRIL 22. Islamic countries on Thursday urged the United Nations to return to Iraq and take ``a central role'' in restoring peace and security, citing grave concerns about heavy civilian casualties and alleged abuses by the U.S.-led occupying forces.

Delegates to a special session of the 57-members Organisation of the Islamic Conference urged the U.N. Security Council to pass a new resolution giving the world body the ``necessary mandate'' to restore peace in Iraq.

They did not give a timetable for such a resolution, saying only that it should come ``in due course.'' Elsewhere, however, the meeting urged the current U.S.-backed administrators to stick to their June 30 deadline to hand power back to Iraqis.

``We recognise and stress the importance of the United Nations in playing a central role to establish peace, security and stability in Iraq,'' a draft statement by delegates to the meeting says.

A Security Council resolution should empower the United Nations ``with the necessary mandate and authority to ensure the achievement of this goal,'' says the draft, a copy of which was obtained by the Associated Press.

In a separate statement, delegates condemned Israel's plan to withdraw from Gaza but keep some settlements in Palestinian territory, and criticised the U.S. Government for supporting it.

``We strongly reject the recent unilateral plan of withdrawal from Gaza and parts of the West Bank, as it breaches the resolutions of international legitimacy (and) contradicts ... the foundations of the peace process,'' said the draft.

AP

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