United Nations
                                  secretary-general Kofi Annan
                                  says the United States
                                  decision to invade Iraq in
                                  March 2003 was "illegal". 

                   Australia was a key supporter of the war on Iraq and sent troops
                   to joined the United States-led invasion last year. 
                   Mr Annan's comments are likely to reignite debate over whether
                   US President George W Bush, Prime Minister John Howard and
                   British Prime Minister Tony Blair acted within the bounds of
                   international law by failing to get a final UN Security Council
                   resolution on Iraq. 
                   Speaking in an interview with BBC World Service radio, Mr
                   Annan says the UN Security Council should have issued a
                   second resolution, if a US-led invasion of Iraq was to be allowed.
                   "I'm one of those who believe that there should have been a
                   second resolution," he said.
                   "Yes, if you wish. I've indicated that it was not in conformity with
                   the UN Charter from our point of view, and from the Charter point
                   of view it was illegal."
                   The UN Charter is one of the cornerstones of international law. 
                   Mr Annan says that given the current level of violence and
                   unrest, it is unlikely that Iraq would be able to hold credible
                   elections as planned in January 2005. 
                   "I think there have been lessons for the US and lessons for the
                   UN and other member states," he said.
                   "I think that, in the end, everybody's concluded that it is best to
                   work together with our allies and through the UN to deal with
                   some of these issues. 
                   "I hope we do not see another Iraq-type operation for a long
                   time...without UN approval and much broader support from the
                   international community." 
                   The council had adopted a number of resolutions over the years
                   to compel Saddam Hussein to abandon the pursuit of weapons of
                   mass destruction. 
                   The final resolution was adopted in November 2002, when UN
                   inspectors re-entered Iraq, warning the Iraqi regime of "serious
                   consequences" if it was found to be in material breach of the
                   earlier resolutions. 
                   Mr Annan says the decision on whether to act on Iraq should
                   have been made by the UN.
                   "It was up to the Security Council to approve or determine what
                   those consequences should be," he said.
                   Mr Annan told a news conference in The Hague, Netherlands,
                   shortly before the invasion that if the United States took military
                   action without Security Council approval "it would not be in
                   conformity with the Charter".
                   The United States and Britain withdrew a draft resolution in the
                   council in mid-March after it was clear there were not enough
                   votes. 
                   France had threatened to veto the draft if UN inspectors were not
                   given more time to account for Saddam Hussein's weapons of
                   mass destruction. 

                   -- AFP/Reuters