CANBERRA, Australia, April 3 (UPI) -- Australian officials Friday welcomed the coalition's progress in Iraq, and tried to play down concerns the United Nations may have a limited role in the Arab nation once Saddam Hussein is ousted.
"If the reports of a more welcoming response from the local population are reflected in the mood of the whole community, then that is enormously significant and it may suggest that the regime is loosening, and that would be tremendous," Prime Minister John Howard told Southern Cross radio.
His comments came after a conversation with U.S. President George W. Bush.
At the United Nations Thursday, Foreign Minister Alexander Downer tried to allay that the United States wanted to limit the United Nations' role in a post-Saddam Iraq.
"I think it's important that false debates are set aside," he said after talks with U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan.
He said neither party wanted to marginalize the other.
"The United Nations ... are not saying they want to take over the whole of Iraq," he said. "Equally, I don't think the Americans are saying they don't want to see any U.N. involvement in Iraq in the post-war environment."
Britain and Australia support a major U.N. role in Iraq once the war ends. But the United States, which failed to garner enough support at the Security Council for a so-called war resolution, wants to limit the world body's role. On Thursday, U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell said he wanted a "partnership" with the United Nations, but did not elaborate.
Downer revealed that the post-Saddam phase would have three stages. The coalition forces -- "in particular the United States" -- will become the power immediately after Saddam is ousted. Power will then be handed over to an interim body, which will then hand over governance to the Iraqi people. Downer said if a U.S. special coordinator for Iraq were appointed, he or she would not be working for the United States.
"He would be a servant of the secretary-general or the Security Council, or both, and not the servant of any one country," he said.
Australia's 2,000-strong force is part of the U.S.-led coalition's 250,000 troops in the region. The two countries, along with Britain, are trying to unseat Saddam and disarm his country of suspected WMD.
