MANILA, June 4 (Xinhuanet) -- The Philippines will push the UnitedNations to play a more central role in Iraq during the country presides over discussion in the Security Council on a draft resolution about handover of Iraqi sovereignty, a senior foreign official said Friday.

    Foreign Secretary Delia Albert said in a statement released during her visit to Pakistan that as an international organization,the UN has the credibility and logistics to stabilize Iraq and help its return to democracy.

    "A just, safe, secure and sovereign future for the people of Iraq are our main concern. The Philippines believes that these canbe achieved by giving the UN a more central role in Iraq," Albert said.

    She said that with only two weeks before the scheduled sovereignty handover to Iraqi people, discussion on the draft resolution on the issue has been sped up at ministerial level among Security Council members.

    "I am in close contact with my counterparts of both members andnon-members of the Security Council. Our delegation in New York isalso actively involved in these important negotiations and I am confident that we will have a resolution for the people of Iraq," she said.

    The secretary declined to elaborate on the negotiations except saying "they have resulted in revisions to the resolution to strengthen Iraqi sovereignty and have a clearer mandate in terms of function and time for the multinational force of Iraq."

    The Philippines, which has fulfilled the UN Security Council's presidency in 1957, 1963 and 1980, is the first of five newly elected members to hold the council's rotating presidency from June 1 to June 30.

    Philippine permanent representative to the United Nations LauroBaja Jr. earlier said in a statement that the Philippine mission as a chair member was looking forward to steering the council's discussions during the month-long presidency.

    "(We are) now on the political radar screen of UN members. We will project and promote the image of the Philippines as a strong republic and articulate our position on issues ... with clarity and reason," he said.

    Baja said that the "preliminary forecast" for the month were issues on Iraq, the Middle East, Haiti, Cyprus, Liberia, Sudan, Congo, Ivory Coast, Guinea-Bissau, the International Criminal Tribunals on Yugoslavia and Rwanda, and the status of civilians inarmed conflict. Enditem