The United Nations Security Council will vote on an amended US draft resolution Thursday to welcome the US-appointed Iraqi Governing Council, US Ambassador to the UN John Negroponte said Wednesday.

"It (the resolution) is well-defined, it's focused. And we expect to have consultations on this item and then proceed to a vote," Negroponte told reporters after formally introducing the amended draft at a closed-door council meeting.

Diplomats here said the draft was finalized Wednesday morning after the five permanent Security Council members -- the United States, China, Russia, France and Britain -- ended their wrangling over the wording to describe their acknowledgement of the Iraqi body.

The US side finally accepted Russia's amendment and replaced the word "endorse" with "welcome" to express support for the Iraqi Governing Council, they said, adding that some permanent members have been wary of recognizing the council as Iraq's interim government.

After the consultations among the five major powers, the final text was then circulated to the 10 elected council members.

The amended resolution "welcomes the establishment of the broadly representative Governing Council of Iraq" as "an important step toward the formation by the people of Iraq of an internationally recognized, representative government that will exercise the sovereignty of Iraq."

It would also authorize the establishment of the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq to support UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan in the fulfillment of his mandate in helping Iraq's rebuilding. The mission would have a mandate of 12 months.

The Iraqi Governing Council, whose 25 members were all handpicked by the US Administrator in Iraq Paul Bremer, was installed on July 13.

A three-member delegation of the Iraqi council attended an open debate of the Security Council, hoping to be recognized as a successor of the former Iraqi government at the world body.

But the Security Council has refrained from issuing a statement to embrace the new Iraqi body, reportedly due to opposition from Iraq's neighbors.
 
(Xinhua News Agency August 14, 2003)