FM says troops will have to stay in Iraq 'quite some time'

UNITED NATIONS (AFP) Jun 03, 2004
Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari told the UN Security Council on Thursday that US-led troops would have to stay in Iraq "quite some time" but that their mandate would not be open-ended.

"I think we are going to need these forces for quite some time," Zebari told council ambassadors questioning him on Iraq's future and a US-British draft resolution that will cover the June 30 handover of power in Baghdad.

"This will not be open-ended," Zebari said, underlining that the interim government which will take power at the end of the month would "have a say in the mandate of these forces."

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