"We did raise some of the legal and important issues that would be posed if there were to be a war," he said, adding that there was "no U.N. plan for administering post-conflict Iraq."

Speaking to the press later in the day, a spokesman for the Secretary-General noted that in addition to the humanitarian and peacekeeping activities regarding Iraq currently mandated by the Security Council, the U.N. had a "moral obligation" to examine what happens to these efforts should there be a war.

Spokesman Fred Eckhard said that as an extension of that contingency planning, a former official of the U.N. Development Programme (UNDP), Rafeeuddin Ahmed, "was asked to look at what might be asked of us after the humanitarian needs had been dealt with, drawing on our experience with past post-conflict situations."

Mr. Eckhard explained that Mr. Ahmed had "put some ideas on paper" for Deputy Secretary-General Louise Fréchette, who is heading an internal task force.

Mr. Eckhard also dismissed as "pure speculation" reports that the U.N. has been asked to step in three months after the end of a conflict. "To my knowledge we have not been informed by anyone, and certainly not by the Security Council, of what would be expected of us post-war," he said.

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