Iraqi's Offer to U.S. Troops Could Lead to U.N. Action

Powell, who did not provide a copy of the letter, said Allawi would have the "committee structure going all the way down throughout the country, so that throughout the country, Iraqi authorities would be in contact with the coalition military authorities present to make sure there is full coordination and understanding of the operations that are being planned."

Powell said that while the letters would be expressed in annexes for technical reasons, they "are totally consistent with the intent, purpose and language of the resolution."

Later, the French president said he hoped that a resolution would be reached "very shortly, in the next few days" and that "things are moving in the right direction."

But Chirac repeated the French requirement that Iraqi sovereignty be detailed in the resolution. "We must say loud and clear that the international community is hell-bent on achieving one objective, which is returning sovereignty to an Iraqi government, which will give hope to the people of Iraq."

Speaking after Chirac, Bush said, "I appreciate our discussions" on Iraq. He spoke of the exchange of letters with Allawi in less detail, saying only that it "lays out the parameters of the security cooperation in Iraq."

Chirac also expressed worry about escalating violence in the Middle East, echoing a concern addressed to Bush by Pope John Paul II in Rome on Friday. "We are very worried when we see that this conflict is continuing to spread," Chirac said, adding: "We cannot ignore the Israeli-Syrian and Israeli-Lebanese dimensions of the problem."

Bush arrived in Paris this afternoon after a meeting and news conference in Rome with Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi. "I sense a spirit of unity in terms of working with the new Iraqi government," Bush said. "That's why we're working closely with nations to get a United Nations Security Council resolution. . . . And I am confident we will get one soon."

Berlusconi said Italian troops would remain in Iraq at least until a new government is elected in January. Tens of thousands of Italians marched in Rome on Friday demanding that the country withdraw its troops from Iraq, as Spain recently did.