SAVANNAH, United States, June 8 (Xinhuanet) -- US President GeorgeW. Bush on Tuesday welcomed the unanimous approval of a resolutionon Iraq by the UN Security Council, calling it "a great victory" for the Iraqi people.

    "The vote today in the UN Security Council was a great victory for the Iraqi people. It showed we stand side by side with the Iraqi people," Bush said at a ceremony welcoming the arrival of Russian President Vladimir Putin to attend a G-8 summit.

    Bush also voiced his gratitude to Putin, whose country has vetopower at the council. "I appreciate your help, Vladimir, in getting that Security Council resolution through today," he said.

    For his part, Putin said: "Without any exaggeration, I would state that it is a major step forward."

    Earlier Tuesday, the UN Security Council unanimously passed a resolution sponsored by the United States and Britain on the transfer of power to the Iraqi interim government on June 30. The resolution authorizes the US-led occupation authorities to remain in Iraq to help keep security but gives the Iraqi government the right to ask the multinational forces to leave at any time.

    Facing objection from France, Russia and Germany, which demand the handover of full sovereignty to Iraq, the United States and Britain had to revise the draft resolution four times before it finally got approved. Enditem