Short backs aid operation

International Development Secretary Clare Short has given her backing to the US organisation set up to oversee humanitarian aid to Iraq in the immediate aftermath of hostilities.

But she warned that the Americans should confine themselves to assisting civilians, maintaining order and keeping basic services going.

She said they should leave the shaping of Iraq's future to a home-grown administration under the auspices of the United Nations.

Ms Short threatened to resign from the Cabinet before the war over what she termed Tony Blair's "reckless" handling of the Iraq crisis.

But she agreed to keep her job after receiving assurances that the UN would lead the reconstruction effort once dictator Saddam Hussein was ousted.

Speculation is rife that the US is planning to edge the UN out of the post-war administration by installing its own team.

The team would be under retired general Jay Garner, the head of the Organisation of Reconstruction and Humanitarian Assistance, which will report direct to the Pentagon.

Ms Short said that it was a requirement under the Geneva Convention for the military to assist civilians and maintain order in the initial post-conflict period.

She backed ORHA's role in this task, but said the UN would take over from it "as soon as possible".

British troops had no desire to perform humanitarian work any longer than they had to, she said.

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