Special report: Tension escalates in Iraq

    UNITED NATIONS, Jan. 17 (Xinhua) -- UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said on Wednesday that the United Nations' presence in Iraq is largely limited because of security concerns.

    Ban, who just returned to New York following a two-day visit to Washington, told reporters at the UN headquarters that during the visit U.S. President George W. Bush had asked for an increased presence and role of the United Nations in Iraq.

    "I told President Bush that, since the UN presence and operation in Iraq is actually constrained by the situation on the ground -- I mean the security concerns - but we will try to continue to participate and increase our role in Iraq, including the International Compact with Iraq," he said.

    "The United Nations has been and will continue wherever and whenever we can to increase our presence there, but that will be largely constrained by the security concerns," Ban added.

    The United Nations withdrew its staff from Iraq in 2003 following two attacks on UN offices in Baghdad. The first attack killed Sergio Vieira de Mello, the top UN envoy, as well as 21 others.