The government today criticised the United States' plan for a handover of power in Iraq, calling for United Nations control of the process and a deadline for the pullout of US troops.

Malaysia is the current chairman of both the 57-member Organisation of the Islamic Conference and the Non-Aligned Movement of developing nations.

"They must set a deadline for the pullout of the occupying forces," Foreign Minister Syed Hamid Albar was quoted as saying by the official Bernama news agency.

"We want Iraq to be under United Nations' control so that more countries could join in to rebuild Iraq. This will give the efforts to rebuild Iraq international legitimacy.

"Let the Iraqis hold elections. Islamic nations too will help in rebuilding the country if the whole process is under the leadership of the UN and not a sole superpower," Syed Hamid said.

Under an agreement between the US envoy to Iraq, Paul Bremer, and the US-backed Iraqi Governing Council unveiled over the weekend, a provisional government is to be formed by June, after being named by a transitional assembly which is itself to be elected by the end of May.

The Governing Council said that a new government would be elected and a constitution drafted before the end of 2005.

Washington has stepped up the transfer to Iraqi self-rule amid deteriorating security and rising US casualty tolls, but has not set a timetable for the withdrawal of its troops, saying they will stay on until the country is stabilized. - AFP