For fear of a prolonged US occupation of Iraq, Russia, Germany and France called on the US-led coalition on Tuesday to develop a specific schedule for the transfer of effective authority to Iraqis.

The call is among the six amendments jointly proposed by the three strong critics of the US-led war on Iraq to a new UN draft resolution on Iraq circulated by Washington over the weekend.

In the joint proposals, obtained by Xinhua, they underscored that the responsibilities of the occupying coalition "shall expire" at the time when an internationally recognized representative Iraqi government is sworn in.

The proposals call upon the coalition, "in consultation with the Governing Council and the (UN) secretary-general, to develop a specific schedule" for the purpose of returning governing responsibilities to the Iraqis "as soon as practicable," and to submit it to the Security Council by an undecided date.

The three countries also tried to prevent an open-ended stay of the US-proposed multinational force in Iraq.

"In any case the mandate of the force shall expire on the day the (Security) Council receives a report from the secretary-general that an internationally recognized, representative government of Iraq is sworn in," the amendments say.

Russia, Germany and France also try to beef up the Security Council's voice in fixing the timetable for the Iraqi political transition.

Under their proposals, the Iraqi Governing Council would submit to the Security Council, "for its consideration," no later than Dec. 15, a timetable and a program for drafting a new constitution and holding elections.

The amendments do request a turnover of sovereignty to an interim Iraqi government within few months, as demanded by UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan.

Annan told reporters on Tuesday that the latest US draft - the third version of a text circulated among Security Council member six weeks ago -- did not represent "a major shift" in the position of the occupying coalition.

"Obviously, the current resolution does not represent a major shift in the thinking of the coalition," he said. "However, I am grateful that they have taken into view, into account, some of my preoccupations."

The new draft, circulated by Washington over the weekend, gives the Iraqi Governing Council until Dec. 15 to fix a timetable for the political process. It's the first time for Washington to set such a date.

But the new draft maintains that the transfer of the Iraqi sovereignty should be done in a "progressive" manner.

Annan, along with France, Russia and France, has called for a radical change in the US approach to post-war Iraq. His public criticism to earlier drafts has dealt a heavy blow to the US diplomatic efforts to get a new resolution on Iraq.

The Security Council held its first closed-door consultations Tuesday morning on the new draft, co-sponsored by Britain, Spain and Cameroon.

A US official revealed that Washington might put the resolution to a council vote as early as on Wednesday.

(Xinhua News Agency October 15, 2003)