"On the oil-for-food program, I'm confident that the (council) members will find a solution," he told reporters upon his arrival at the UN headquarters in New York.

"They are concerned about the Iraqi civilian population," he said. "They want to put the needs of the people at the center of all that we do at this stage."

"So I have no doubt that the council will come to a satisfactory conclusion on the oil-for-food program," Annan stressed.

Annan said he is getting "increasingly concerned" by humanitarian casualties in the conflict in Iraq.

"We've just heard the reports that a missile struck a market in Baghdad and I would want to remind all belligerents that they should respect international humanitarian law and take all necessary steps to protect civilians," he emphasized.

Asked about what role the UN must play in post-war Iraq, Annan said that is an issue the Security Council to decide and he will discuss it with the council.

"I am sure the council members have their own ideas, and we will need to sit and discuss that and decide how we move forward," he noted.

Annan said a UN role in post-conflict Iraq is also expected to be one of the issues during his meeting with British Prime Minister Tony Blair Thursday.

Annan repeated his calls for all warring parties to respect the Geneva Convention and treat prisoners of war fairly and humanely.

"They (POWs) should not be humiliated, nor should they be made objects of public exhibition," he said.

The press encounter came shortly before the 15-nation council met to discuss a draft resolution adjusting the current oil-for-food program in view of war in Iraq.

The program, which has been in place since December 1996, allows Iraq to sell an unlimited amount of oil and use its oil revenues to buy humanitarian goods under the UN monitoring.

The program, which was designed to ease the impact of the stringent UN sanctions, was suspended last week after Annan ordered international staff out of Iraq ahead of the US-led invasion.

Last Friday, Annan proposed adopting a new council resolution making adjustments to the oil-for-food program.

(Xinhua News Agency March 27, 2003)