PM hails UN vote

Tony Blair today moved swiftly to build on new-found global unity in the wake of the "historic milestone" of United Nations agreement on Iraq.

Mr Blair hailed the unanimous vote by the UN Security Council as "the world community speaking with one voice" for the first time since the West was split over the conflict. But he warned the new resolution governing Iraq's future would not end violence from insurgents, and predicted "difficult and dangerous days" ahead.

It remained unclear whether any major military nation would offer troops and reduce the burden of the US, which has 138,000 servicemen in Iraq, and Britain, which has 8,900. Four members of the G8 group of industrialised nations - France, Germany, Russia and Canada - have said they will not send troops.

Some nations are also not keen on the idea of a debt write-off, though America points out that the IMF recently said the "vast majority" of Iraq's debt should be relieved.

Last night's UN resolution endorses a transfer of sovereignty to an interim government led by prime minister Ayad Allawi at the end of

this month, and democratic elections in 2005. Sponsored by the UK, USA and Romania, it was passed by all 15 Security Council members after a last-minute deal to satisfy critics of last year's war, including France, Germany and Russia.

Washington has promised to cooperate with the interim government on "sensitive offensive operations". The deal stops short of granting Iraq a veto over major offensives by US-led troops. The multinational force is authorised to remain in Iraq to help ensure security, but the Iraqi government can ask it to leave at any time.

No 10 hopes the vote will help draw a line under the Iraq issue, as Labour prepares for voters to show their discontent at tomorrow's elections. Speaking in Savannah, Georgia, near Sea Island where the G8 summit is taking place, Mr Blair said: "We all now want to put the divisions of the past behind us and unite behind the vision of a modern, democratic and stable Iraq."

President Bush declared that the UN vote set the stage for democracy in Iraq and would be a "catalyst for change" in the Middle East.

Iraq's foreign minister Hoshyar Zebari said the resolution would have a "positive impact" on the security situation.