Security Council sets up Trust Fund for donations to protect UN presence in Iraq

The Security Council today established a Trust Fund for donations to finance a protection force for the United Nations presence in Iraq.

The decision came during a formal meeting as the Council approved a letter to Secretary-General Kofi Annan requesting that he establish the new mechanism by Friday.

The Fund will serve as a channel for contributions to a UN protection force operating under the unified command of the multinational force in Iraq.

On 21 October, Bernard Bot, the Foreign Minister of Netherlands, which currently holds the presidency of the European Union (EU), wrote to Mr. Annan to announce that EU countries were ready to contribute $12 million to the effort.

"The European Union attaches great importance to the presence of the United Nations in Iraq and wants - wherever relevant - to establish close engagement and cooperation with the United Nations," Mr. Bot wrote.

In pledging the funds, he said they should be used "for troop contributions from third countries which are not in a position to bear the costs of deployment themselves."

Video of Council meeting [4mins]