Russian President Vladimir Putin now says Moscow would back a UN resolution to place an international troop presence in Iraq, even under American military command.

CENTERFORSECURITYPOLICY: chirac_annan

After meeting America's secretary of state, Colin Powell, on Thursday, and Britain's foreign secretary, Jack Straw, on Friday, Mr Annan acknowledged that diplomats were discussing the possibility of agreeing a multinational force to guard UN sites and staff, with a separate command structure but in some way under the influence of the American military.

ECONOMIST: Iraq's security void