US Starts Carving Control Zones

Officials from the US, Britain and eight allies as diverse as Ukraine and Honduras will meet in London tomorrow to carve Iraq into zones of control before the deployment of a multinational stabilisation force.

Initial plans suggest that Britain will head a multinational brigade in southern Iraq that would include troops from Spain and Latin America.

American troops would control Baghdad, and Poland would be responsible for the north, in command of Danish and possibly German contingents, according to Polish officials. They have also said a fourth zone might be added, but it is unclear which nation would run it.

As negotiations over the stabilisation force continued in Washington yesterday, President Bush appointed a new civilian administrator for Iraq. Paul Bremer, a diplomat specialising in counter-terrorism, will be in charge of the Pentagon's envoy for reconstruction and humanitarian assistance, Jay Garner, a former general.

The Spanish defence minister, Federico Trillo, said 1,500 of his country's troops would operate in the British area that he defined as "zone 4 south".

Spanish defence officials said tomorrow's meeting would include Spain, Poland, Ukraine, Bulgaria, Denmark, the Netherlands and Honduras, to discuss the composition of the stabilisation force which would keep the peace during the transition to a new government.

The Polish foreign minister, Wlodzimierz Cimoszewicz, has said a final meeting to decide the make-up of the force will take place in Warsaw on May 22.

"The idea is to have all the countries ready to engage there by the end of this month," Mr Cimoszewicz said.

After meeting the US secretary of state, Colin Powell, in Washington yesterday, he urged Germany and other European states to contribute to Iraq's stabilisation and reconstruction.

"Success or failure will have broad international consequences," he said.

Spanish newspapers quoted defence ministry officials yesterday saying that Honduras and Nicaragua had offered troops for the "Spanish brigade" only if Spain paid for them. Chile and Argentina had said they would take part in a UN force only, the reports said.

The diversity of the nations meeting in London reflects the difficulties Washington has faced trying to gain support for its occupation of postwar Iraq. Few countries with experience in the Middle East are on board, and no Islamic countries are represented.

Most of the willing are relatively impoverished states eager to enhance their relationship with the US but unable to pay their way.

Mr Cimoszewicz was in Washington yesterday to discuss the Polish contribution. The Polish defence minister, Jerzy Szmajdzinski, said he had received an assurance from his American counterpart, Donald Rumsfeld, that the US would help raise money from international donors to cover the cost of about 1,500 Polish troops and a headquarters staff. Mr Szmajdzinski estimated the cost at $50m (£31m) for six months.

Poland's deputy defence minister, Janusz Zemke, said that the Polish troops would be initially stationed in Iraq for a year and then rotated every six months.

He said they would play an important role protecting energy facilities, telecommunication hubs and transport arteries. Troops from a chemical defence regiment have already been mobilised and are expected to leave for Iraq soon.

Mr Zemke said that up to 11 European countries had expressed an interest in taking part. "We are also getting signs that certain Asian countries, for example India, Pakistan and the Philippines, would be prepared to send troops," Mr Zemke said.

Most of the potential contributors are anxious to ensure their soldiers avoid conflict.

Spain has stated that it does not want to have to intervene in demonstrations. "We want somewhere that is as calm as possible," said a government official quoted by El Mundo newspaper yesterday.

"The troops will form part of the new integrated division in the British south," Mr Trillo said. He described the job of those taking part in the stabilisation force as "guaranteeing security and order on the streets and the ensuring the (peaceful) coexistence of the people".

Mr Szmajdzinski told the Washington Times his country expected Iraq to be divided into three or four districts. It wanted one district to be the responsibility of 7,000 soldiers from various countries led by Poland. The other regions, he said, would be commanded by the US and Britain.

A senior US official said the US sector would be patrolled by 20,000 troops remaining separate from the 135,000 combat troops already in Iraq.

Bulgaria's defence minister, Nikolai Svinarov, said his country would send 450 soldiers to Iraq. However, Bulgaria, like Poland, wants the US to help find funds to finance its contribution.