US, Britain at odds over Iraq's control of foreign troops
BEIJING, May 26 (Xinhuanet) -- The United States and Britain seemed to hold different ideas Tuesday on how much control the planned interim Iraqi government will have over the US-led forces in the country after a power handover on June 30.
Iraq's interim government will have full sovereignty and thus will have a role to play in the activities of US forces who will remain in Iraq after the handover, said US Secretary of State Colin Powell at a news conference in Washington.
But he added that "if it comes down to the United States armed forces protecting themselves or in some way accomplishing their mission" in a way not in accord with the Iraqis, the US forces "will do what is necessary to protect themselves."
In London, British Prime Minister Tony Blair said Iraqis should have the final say over any major military operations.
"The final political control (over foreign troops) remains with the Iraqi government. That is what the transfer of sovereignty means," Blair told reporters.
The apparent difference between the allies could complicate their efforts to secure UN Security Council endorsement for the power transfer.
A senior US official in Baghdad said the issue of who should have the final word on the activities of foreign troops would be the first one addressed by the United States and Iraq's interim government.
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2004-05/26/content_1491705.htm