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A transitional Iraqi government must have access to the country's oil resources and a say in its own security when the US-led coalition hands over sovereignty at the end of June, German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder said Monday. Without access to resources or a decision-making security role, a transfer of power would be meaningless. "We are arguing that the transfer of sovereignty... must be implemented as planned," he told foreign reporters in Berlin. "Responsiblities must be handed over, such as allowing the government access to the country's resources. Without that access, it wouldn't be a transfer of sovereignty." The Iraqi administration must also be given "the opportunity to make decisions on security questions. Without that, it wouldn't be a transfer of sovereignty either." Germany opposed last year's US-led war against Iraq and has refused to send troops to reinforce the coalition forces there, but Schroeder reiterated that regardless of the past, the international community as a whole had an interest in seeing the country return to stability. The chancellor poured cold water on proposals that NATO deploy a security force in Iraq. He said he had "doubts that a NATO presence will lead to a real improvement in security," and suggested that "it might be more sensible to think about security forces who would be closer to the mentality of the people." That could mean security forces from Muslim countries, he added, as "they also have an interest in bolstering stability in the region." Schroeder would not say how Germany would cast its vote over a UN Security Council resolution being prepared by Britain and the United States that gives an outline of the key elements of the June 30 transfer of power. He said he did not know what was in the text of the draft resolution but Germany "will take part in the discussion" when it arose. All rights reserved. Copyright 2003 Agence France-Presse. Sections of the information displayed on this page (dispatches, photographs, logos) are protected by intellectual property rights owned by Agence France-Presse. As a consequence, you may not copy, reproduce, modify, transmit, publish, display or in any way commercially exploit any of the content of this section without the prior written consent of Agence France-Presse. Quick Links
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