Car bomb kills two in Iraq

Colin Adamson13 April 2012

Two people were killed today and at least eight others were injured by a car bomb near the United Nations headquarters in Baghdad.

Witnesses said the explosion happened at a checkpoint 100 yards from the UN compound at the Canal Hotel, where 23 people died last month in a huge car bomb attack.

A US army spokesman said: "The bomber drove up and was engaged by an Iraqi policeman at the checkpoint. That policeman was killed, although it was not clear whether he was shot or died in the explosion."

The blast took place two days before President George Bush is due to discuss offering the UN an expanded role in rebuilding Iraq, a condition set by many nations for contributing peacekeepers and money to the reconstruction effort.

It follows an assassination attempt on Aquila al-Hashimi, a leading candidate to become Iraq's UN ambassador. She was reported in serious but stable condition following Saturday's attack in western Baghdad.

Mr Bush has said he is not sure the US will have to give the UN a significantly larger role in Iraq. He continued to insist on an orderly transfer of authority to the Iraqis rather than a quicker handover demanded by France.

The US President said he will tell the UN that he "made the right decision and the others that joined us made the right decision" to invade Iraq. Asked whether he was willing for the UN to play a larger role in the political developments in Iraq, Mr Bush responded: "I'm not so sure we have to, for starters."

But he added it would be helpful to get UN help in writing a constitution for Iraq, saying: "They're good at that. Or, perhaps when an election starts, they'll oversee the election. That would be deemed a larger role."

The President was speaking as Foreign Secretary Jack Straw flew to the UN in New York today for intensive talks over Iraq. He will make a speech on Thursday and was meeting foreign ministers from key players to win backing for the US-led occupation.

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