The United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan said Thursday that the UN will work with the United States to boost the safety of UN staff and continue its missions in Iraq despite recent terrorist bombing.

"We have had a chance to review what needs to be done to strengthen our security and to continue our operations," Annan told a joint news conference after meeting with US Secretary of State Colin Powell at UN Headquarters in New York.

Powell said he was "very pleased" that Annan had reaffirmed that the United Nations would be staying in Baghdad, following the bombing that killed top UN envoy Sergio Vieira de Mello, and at least 21 others, and injured scores more.

"We will be working with the United Nations representatives in Baghdad on security matters," Powell said. "It is a challenging environment but we will work closely with the United Nations to make sure that they can perform their work in as safe an environment as is possible considering the circumstances."

Annan said his meeting with Powell focused on the economic and political issues and reconstruction. "On the question of security we have no intention of recommending UN Blue Helmets," he said.

If the UN mandate in Iraq were expanded, maintaining security in the country would not be part of it, he added.

Overseeing security arrangements was the province of a multinational force, "with the UN focusing on the economic, political and social areas where we do our best work, including the [humanitarian]," he said.

Asked whether he saw consensus in the Council on Iraq in view of earlier divisions over the war, Annan said: "I think it is possible... but it will take work, it will take consultations and negotiations, but I will not exclude it."

"An Iraq that is destabilized, an Iraq that is in chaos, is not in the interest of the region or the world, and we do have a responsibility to ensure that," the UN chief said.

In a closed-door briefing with the Security Council on Wednesday, Annan emphasized that security was ultimately the responsibility of the US-run Coalition Provisional Authority.
 
(Xinhua News Agency August 22, 2003)