UN Secretary-General, Kofi Annan, urged more countries to join efforts to stabilize Iraq and said the United States was intensifying talks with France, Germany and Russia ? all of which opposed the war.

Annan said he believed the three key opponents of the US-led invasion that ousted Saddam Hussein were not prepared ?at this stage? to send troops to join US-led forces in Iraq. But he did not rule out the possibility of their sending troops in the future.

?It would be extremely helpful to the process if we can really internationalize the efforts in Iraq and bring in everybody,? he said in an interview with Tim Russert on NBC television that focused largely on Iraq.

If more countries deploy troops, Annan said, it might allow the United States to reduce its force, ?but it will depend on how fast and how quickly we are able to get other governments to join and provide troops.?

As Annan?s top envoy, Lakhdar Brahimi, prepares to head back to Iraq this week, questions remain about the interim Iraqi government he is trying to assemble to take over from the US-led coalition on June 30 ? including whether it will have limited or complete sovereignty and the future of coalition military forces.

Annan said the United States and Britain, the occupying powers in Iraq, should transfer complete sovereignty, acknowledging that any interim government would have ?limited? powers because an elected government would take over after voting scheduled for January 2005.

Annan said he expects the UN Security Council to adopt a new resolution authorizing the multinational force now in Iraq to remain after June 30 and encourage governments ?to come together in a genuine international effort to help stabilize Iraq.? The council has already authorized the current multinational force, of 138,000 US troops and 24,900 troops from coalition countries.