Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)

DATE=8/10/03

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

TITLE=U-S/IRAQ (L-ONLY)

NUMBER=2-306341

BYLINE=PAULA WOLFSON

DATELINE=WASHINGTON

CONTENT=

VOICED AT:

INTRO: A prominent Republican in the U-S Senate says the Bush administration should seek a new United Nations resolution on Iraq. V-O-A's Paula Wolfson reports, Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Richard Lugar says a U-N resolution would promote greater international backing for reconstruction and peacekeeping efforts.

TEXT: Senator Lugar says a new resolution would convince more countries to get involved in Iraq.

/// LUGAR ACT ///

We really do need help from other countries. It is regrettable that some countries still believe that this is our mission entirely. And the U-N legitimacy, and reaching out to these other countries, is of the essence, not only in the short term, but in the intermediate term.

/// END ACT ///

During a televised interview, the Indiana Republican called on the Bush administration to draw up a five-year funding plan for Iraq that takes into account contributions from other nations.

Senator Lugar told N-B-C's Meet the Press that the war is not yet over and needs to be won.

/// LUGAR ACT ///

We need a budget for five years that indicates our resolve. That is money for Iraq. It could come from other countries. We must be vigorous in trying to get that and a U-N resolution to give us more legitimacy, but at the same time recognize we are going to have an obligation. It is a war that is underway still.

/// END ACT ///

Also appearing on Meet the Press was former Senator Sam Nunn, a Democrat who once chaired the Armed Services Committee and worked with Mr. Lugar on key foreign policy issues. He joined the call for a new U-N resolution.

/// NUNN ACT ///

That will open up all sorts of resources. But most importantly, it will allow us to have commercial contracts. There has got to be a contracting authority with legitimacy to get the oil contracts and the infrastructure-building that really needs to go on.

/// END ACT ///

White House officials have said recently that they are willing to discuss a new U-N resolution on Iraq with those who feel it might be necessary. But they also make clear they think the existing Security Council resolution is sufficient. (SIGNED)

NEB/PW/TW