By Judy Aita
Washington File Special Correspondent

United Nations -- Secretary General Kofi Annan has called for a meeting of U.N. officials, the Iraqi Governing Council, and the Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA) to discuss specifics of a possible U.N. role in Iraq until the end of June 2004.

The secretary general announced at a press conference December 18 that he has suggested a "three-way conversation" around the 15th of January.

He said he wants the CPA and the Iraqi council "to indicate to me exactly what role they want the U.N. to play, who is going to be responsible for what, and who takes what decision so that our role is clear and there is no confusion."

"The demand for clarification is not to sit on the fence, it is a real substantive issue," he said. "Once we have that, I will make a judgment whether we can take on that role."

The secretary general has said repeatedly over the past weeks that he will not send U.N. international staff back into Iraq on a permanent basis until the security situation improves.

"The key here is security," the secretary general said during the 45-minute end-of-the-year press conference. "We will return to Iraq when a secure environment is created."

But he stressed that the United Nations has no intention of ignoring Iraq in the meantime. He said U.N. operations are continuing in Iraq through international staff based in Cyprus and hundreds of Iraqi employees inside the country.

The secretary general divided U.N. involvement into two phases: the period until June 30 before the establishment of a provisional government and the period after July 1 when the provisional government governs the country.

"Where I have sought clarity is what is required of the United Nations between now and 30 June and this process that leads to the establishment of a provisional government," Annan said.

"When the provisional government is established and they seek our support in the constitutional process, the electoral process -- including registration and assistance with the elections -- that is much more straightforward and clear," he said.

He pointed out that the United Nations is not mentioned in the agreement between the CPA and the Governing Council on the establishment of a provisional government.

U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations John Negroponte said, "we all agree that the U.N. should have a vital role ... under existing resolutions. There is ample scope for activity by the United Nations and what the secretary general is driving at here is the need -- whether it is in New York on January 15 or however it takes place -- to reach some kind of agreement between the council, the coalition, and the United Nations on exactly how and under what circumstances the U.N. could go back into Iraq."

"I would emphasize that we would welcome the return of the United Nations and their international personnel to Iraq as soon as absolutely possible," the ambassador said.

Negroponte said that while he had discussed the possibility of such a meeting with Annan on December 17, he had no knowledge of a formal invitation being issued to the coalition authorities in Baghdad by the U.N.

During the press conference, Annan was asked about the rocky relations between the United States and the United Nations in 2003.

"[I]t has been a difficult year that has seen major divisions amongst our members, but I hope as we move into the new year we are going to find a way of resolving these divisions," Annan said.

He pointed out that he has appointed a high level panel, which includes former U.S. National Security Advisor Brent Scowcroft, to look into the issues dividing U.N. member states and suggest how to adapt the U.N. system and structures of peace and security to deal with the kind of problems that confronted the U.N. on Iraq.

"If we all accept that stabilizing Iraq is a responsibility for all of us and we pool our efforts, it will give us another chance to cooperate constructively and put the past behind us," he said.

Annan also said that world leaders, politicians, diplomats and journalists have been very focused on Iraq in 2003 and "simply haven't paid enough attention to the many other pressing challenges facing us" especially HIV/AIDS.

He also mentioned the spread of weapons of mass destruction, fighting terrorism, poverty, hunger, disease, illiteracy, the empowerment of women, and increasing investments in education, health, water, and sanitation and needing more attention.

"Even in the realm of peace and security, there is plenty beyond Iraq that needs urgent attention," he said. "We simply must make progress in bringing peace to the Middle East. The job in Afghanistan is only half done and will be no easier in the year ahead. Latin American needs more attention and more support."

In Africa, 2004 will be even more crucial, the secretary general said. "The U.N. will need massive support for forgotten humanitarian emergencies, and for our peacekeeping operations. We will need troops as well as money. And the efforts of African leaders themselves will need the support of all," he said.