U.N. to release key Iraq report
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Annan and Kawaguchi discussed Iraq during their meeting in Tokyo Sunday.
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TOKYO, Japan (CNN) -- U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan is to release a key report on the outlook for political progress in Iraq to the Security Council on Monday.
Annan, speaking during a five-day trip to Tokyo, said the report by his special fact-finding team in Iraq would be released in New York.
Annan, though, will still be in Japan where he is scheduled to meet Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi Monday and address the Japanese parliament on Tuesday.
Annan told reporters in Tokyo that the recent visit to Iraq by the U.N. team led by his special adviser Lakhdar Brahimi had laid the groundwork for progress, but a number of key issues still had to be addressed.
Any possibility of elections in Iraq before the U.S.-led coalition hands over power on June 30 has been ruled out by Annan.
He repeated that position in his talks with the Japanese government, but said a handover was still necessary.
Annan met Japan's Foreign Minister Yoriko Kawaguchi at the weekend in Tokyo to discuss the situation in Iraq and Japan's financial and military commitment to the reconstruction of the war-ravaged country.
Japan has recently sent troops to Iraq -- its first overseas military deployment since World War Two -- and is the second largest aid donor to Iraq's reconstruction after the United States.
Kawaguchi said Japan hoped the U.N. would play an active role in the process of handing over power in Iraq, Kyodo news agency reported.
She also called on the U.N. to speed up its own reform measures that would give Japan a stronger role in the world body.
Japan now provides more funding to the U.N. than any other permanent Security Council member except the United Sates.
A U.N. spokesman said Friday that the initial report by Annan's special adviser Brahimi was expected to go to the Iraqi Governing Council, the Coalition Provisional Authority and the Security Council on Monday.
The intention then is to ask the Iraqis how an interim government can be set up. The spokesman said the United Nations was poised to help as requested.
Troops deployed
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Japan Maritime Self Defense Force troops wave goodbye to wellwishers as they leave for Iraq.
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Meanwhile, another 140 Japanese soldiers are joining a contingent carrying out humanitarian work in southern Iraq. The ground troops left the northern Japanese island of Hokkaido on Saturday, amid tight security.
On Friday, Japanese police said security was being stepped up at key sites around the country to guard against a possible terror attack.
Last year, media reports said the al Qaeda terrorist group had threatened to "strike at the heart of Tokyo" if Japanese troops went to Iraq.
By next month Japan will have more than 1000 ground, naval and air force personnel serving in the Iraq theater.
