http://www.boston.com/dailynews/324/world/Russia_says_it_wants_strong_U_:.shtml--------------------snip---------
UNITED NATIONS (AP) Russia said any new U.N. resolution endorsing a hand over of power to Iraqis should give a strong political role to the United Nations, and it criticized the United States for negotiating an Iraq plan in a ''secretive'' atmosphere.
Russia also raised the possibility Wednesday of the United Nations organizing an Afghan-style conference of Iraqi groups to choose a provisional National Assembly. The conference should be held in the Middle East, possibly as early as January, officials said.
''Only this would be able to provide a very powerful political incentive to the settlement process in Iraq, including giving it the proper legitimacy,'' Russia's Deputy Foreign Minister Yuri Fedotov said, according to the Interfax news agency.
Russian officials in Moscow and Russian diplomats at the United Nations took exception to how the U.S.-led coalition and the Iraqi Governing Council reached an agreement last week for a quicker transfer of power.