UN Secretary General Kofi Annan has firmly told the US that it is responsible for providing humanitarian aid to Iraqis 'gravely affected' by its military action till conditions stabilised.

"United Nations is prepared to do all it could to provide humanitarian aid to the Iraqis but its capacity would be limited until security conditions allowed the safe return of staff in affected areas," Annan told US National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice on Tuesday.

"Until then humanitarian assistance would have to be provided by the United States and its coalition partners in the areas under their control, consistent with overall responsibility under international law," he said.

Regarding the post war era, any role by the United Nations beyond the humanitarian assistance would have to be approved by the Security Council, he said.

Annan also emphasized on the need to maintain the territorial integrity of Iraq and the right of its people to determine their political future.

The meeting, requested by the US, was held under the shadow of the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Basra in southern Iraq and the inability of the United States to provide assistance to people because of continued fighting following unexpected strong resistance by Iraqis.

Responding to criticism, White House spokesman Ari Fleischer claimed that movement of humanitarian aid was delayed because Iraq had mined the Umm Qasr port, which had slowed down the advance of US troops.

Russia and France also stress on the responsibility of the United States to provide assistance in areas under their occupation.

In Washington, state department spokesman Richard Boucher said the US was working to get a Security Council resolution authorising Annan to ‘take steps necessary to sustain the oil-for-food programme' in Iraq.

The United Nations programme was feeding 60 per cent of Iraq's 22 million population. But the UN suspended it ahead of the military action and aid workers say that people would have ration only for one week.

British Prime Minister Tony Blair is expected to meet Annan on Thursday to discuss the war in Iraq and the deteriorating humanitarian situation.

Blair, who will arrive in the US on Wednesday to hold talks with US President George W Bush, is expected to discuss UN's role in the post-war era, which is as yet unclear beyond humanitarian assistance, diplomats said.

Blair is under pressure from his party to involve the UN in a major way in Iraq but the US has reservations about the world body taking on tasks beyond humanitarian, they said.

PTI