Iraq

Bush prods skeptical U.N.

UNITED NATIONS - President Bush, defending the invasion of Iraq before the United Nations on Tuesday, endured a torrent of criticism from world leaders who warned that his policy of unilateral action to confront emerging threats to U.S. security could destroy the 58-year-old international organization.

At the annual gathering of the U.N. General Assembly in New York, Bush received a polite but cool reception as he blended a gentle defense of his policies in Iraq with a request that "all nations of goodwill" lend help to the effort in Iraq and a call for the world body to move on to other issues.

Before and after Bush's address, foreign leaders used the same podium to take shots at Bush's policy of pre-emptively striking emerging threats, calling such actions an attempt to discredit the United Nations and undermine international cooperation.

By the rough measurement of applause at the United Nations, the appeal of Bush's remarks fell well behind those of President Jacques Chirac of France, his chief rival for hearts and minds in the arena of international diplomacy. In his speech, Chirac declared that multilateralism "is a guarantee of legitimacy and democracy, especially in matters regarding the use of force or laying down universal norms."

U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan, in an unusually impassioned condemnation of U.S. policy, said unilateralism is an assault on the cooperative principles of President Franklin D. Roosevelt and those who founded the United Nations that could spread the "lawless use of force."

"We have come to a fork in the road," Annan said. "This may be a moment no less decisive than 1945 itself, when the United Nations was founded."

Bush's remarks, which barely mentioned the U.S. need for additional funds and troops in Iraq, were an indication that the administration has reduced its hopes that a new U.N. Security Council resolution will bring it substantial relief. The administration proposed a new resolution last month, and the White House had planned for Tuesday's speech by Bush to mark its passage. But the U.S. draft has run up against strong opposition, and France and other nations have used the opportunity to reopen a debate over the administration's policy of pre-emption.

Bush, who did not sit in the chamber for Annan's address, emphasized the humanitarian works of the United Nations rather than his decision to go to war in Iraq without explicit U.N. backing. He suggested his actions were in support of U.N. wishes, not defiance.

"Because a coalition of nations acted to defend the peace, and the credibility of the United Nations, Iraq is free, and today we are joined by representatives of a liberated country," he said.

Chirac, who led the opposition to the Iraq war and has been the main obstacle to the new U.S. resolution, called the war "one of the gravest trials" in U.N. history and said it "undermined the multilateral system."

Addressing the assembly after Bush, Chirac strongly criticized the notion of pre-emptive attacks: "In an open world, no one can live in isolation, no one can act alone in the name of all, and no one can accept the anarchy of a society without rules."

A private meeting Tuesday between Bush and Chirac did not overcome differences. At a news conference, Chirac said, "Our views are different from the American position."

Bush aides also dismissed an urging from Ahmed Chalabi, who holds the rotating presidency of the Iraqi Governing Council, for a rapid transfer of power to the group.

In his speech, Bush implicitly rejected the suggestions of Chirac and Chalabi. With Chalabi occupying one of the seats designated for Iraqi delegates, Bush said, "The process must unfold according to the needs of Iraqis, neither hurried, nor delayed by the wishes of other parties."

Bush spoke as if the divisions over Iraq were largely in the past. "There was, and there remains, unity among us on the fundamental principles and objectives of the United Nations," he said. He devoted nearly half his speech to other issues - weapons proliferation and sex trafficking - and made only a gentle request for assistance in Iraq. "Now the nation of Iraq needs and deserves our aid, and all nations of goodwill should step forward and provide that support," he said.

He said a new Security Council resolution would expand the U.N. role in Iraq, but suggested that role would be in developing a constitution, training civil servants and conducting elections - not in leading the occupation.

Aides said Bush's speech was meant to be in between an apology for his actions in Iraq, which the administration does not believe is warranted, and a defiant justification, which would only antagonize other countries.

"We're not here to litigate past differences - we're here to move forward," said Bush communications director Dan Bartlett.

In addition to seeking general support from the United Nations, Bush is lobbying individual countries. To that end, he has meetings scheduled today with the leaders of Pakistan and India. This weekend at Camp David, Bush hosts Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The president's schedule today also includes talks with another outspoken war opponent, German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder.

The debate in the General Assembly was on the philosophical question of whether Bush's foreign policy would spell the demise of the United Nations. Bush argued that his actions were defending civilization from chaos; others said Bush's polices were causing chaos in world affairs.

Annan and Chirac called for reforms at the United Nations to adjust to the U.S. challenge, such as enlarging the Security Council and considering how to deal with pre-emptive attacks.

The procession of world leaders at the podium overwhelmingly praised "multilateralism" as the solution to the world's problems.

In remarks to a Russian TV correspondent after the morning session, Moscow's foreign minister, Igor Ivanov, chose not to criticize Bush directly, falling back instead on a general endorsement of multilateralism. "Every country, small and large, should strictly respect international law," he said. "Only in this way can we tackle such problems as terrorism, organized crime and nonproliferation."

President Pervez Musharraf of Pakistan said Bush's speech "was good, very forceful."

But he remained noncommittal about whether Pakistan could aid the effort in Iraq.

Jean Chretien, the Canadian prime minister, struck a more conciliatory note at a news conference Tuesday afternoon, saying that despite the significant differences between Washington and Paris, "this is a matter of knowing that there are ways to provide an acceptable solution. Reason will prevail."

- Information from the Washington Post, New York Times, Dallas Morning News and Associated Press was used in this report.

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