US Secretary of State Colin Powell on Wednesday night said that the United Nations would have a role to play in the rebuilding of Iraq once the military operations end.

"We are in consultations with the UN," Powell said in an interview to Saeed Naqvi on Doordarshan's Worldview programme.

He said he had spoken to Secretary-General Kofi Annan in this regard and talks were also on with coalition partners to structure the role of the UN.

He said the US was also talking to other members of the UN Security Council on what resolutions might be appropriate.

Asked whether the US or the UN would set up the interim administration in Baghdad after the war, Powell said initially Central Commander chief General Tommy Franks would be in charge in order to stabilise the country, make sure that humanitarian supplies reached without any disruption and weapons of mass destruction were eliminated.

Powell said the nature of the UN role would be discussed between President George W Bush, British Prime Minister Tony Blair and Foreign Secretary Jack Straw at Camp David on Thursday.

"There has to be international legitimacy for all the actions we are taking and we will work our way through this," he said.

Asked whether Blair was under pressure to ensure that the interim set up was under the UN aegis right from the beginning, he said, "I don't think there is any major difference in the view of President Bush and the British premier."

On the prospects of ensuring that "real democracy" came into force in Iraq, Powell said, "If we can put a functional democracy in place... we are committed to it and we can do it. Then, perhaps, it can be an example to all other nations in that region."

On criticism over civilian casualties in the military operations, Powell said, "We have been very careful to strike targets that are opposing us. We are attaching high premium for minimising collateral damage."

Powell disagreed with the questioner that the US had imposed Hamid Karzai as head of the interim administration in Afghanistan. The Afghans had selected him, the secretary of state said.

PTI