"I will personally request that the resolution regarding Iraq not be put to decision tomorrow," said Zebari (R)

By Kazi Mahmood, IOL South East Asia Correspondent

PUTRAJAYA, Malaysia , October 15 (IslamOnline.net) – The U.S.-sanctioned Iraq Governing Council delegation has refused Wednesday, October 15, to accept a voting by the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) members on a resolution that calls for larger U.N. role in the U.S.-occupied oil-rich Arab country.

"I will personally request that the resolution regarding Iraq not be put to decision tomorrow as there is another resolution being prepared at the U.N.," Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari told a press conference.

He asserted that changes had been made to the council's initial draft, charging that correct procedures had not been followed at preparatory meetings for the OIC summit opening here Thursday.

The OIC resolution calls for the U.N. to play a "central role in Iraq , covering all aspects of transition: political, security and economic" and for the Security Council to set a "defined and clear timetable for the withdrawal of occupying powers as soon as possible."

The U.S.-handpicked Iraqi interim governing council was represented by six of its 25 members, including its rotating chairman Ayad Alawi.

The stumbling block, IslamOnline.net learned, was the issue of the role of the U.N. in Iraq , an issue that has blocked the sending of troops by Muslim countries to the Arab country.

Commenting on the issue, Alawi said: "The Governing Council is the central role in Iraq ."

"There were too many amendments to the resolution that it lost the meaning and intention," he said.

"There's a high possibility that during the summit the Iraq delegation may request to postpone a decision on that resolution because, due to the changing circumstances, especially now at the Security Council, there is a new draft resolution before the council.

"We want to be patient in order not to find ourselves in a conflict with international efforts to stabilize ( Iraq )," Alawi told a news conference.

Malaysia , which is to chair the OIC for the next three years has made it clear that it would only consider assisting Iraq after the U.N. was given a clear and strong mandate in the occupied country.

It is unclear though whether Malaysia will press for the voting of the resolution which it is said calls for greater U.N role.

The OIC has also urged the U.S and other forces to leave the Muslim country and allow it to follow its own due process to elect its government and have a new constitution.

The U.N. Security Council was preparing to vote Wednesday on a new U.S. resolution on Iraq as Washington presses for United Nations' backing that could get more international help for the U.S.-led occupation in Iraq .

The new draft gives the Iraqi Council until December 15 to spell out a timetable for writing a constitution and holding elections - in effect, a deadline to set a later deadline for when the occupation might end.