The British Prime Minister Mr Tony Blair is flying to Washington today for a meeting with President George W. Bush, eager to convince his ally that the United Nations must play a central role in post-war Iraq.
Yesterday, Washington said it was trying to determine what kind of role should be played by the UN, which is deeply divided over the US-led war to topple Iraqi President Saddam Hussein.
However Blair said he was confident the UN Security Council would come together to pass a second resolution on aid, reconstruction and a future administration for Iraq.
"It is common ground between us that the United Nations has got to be involved in post-conflict Iraq," Blair told a London news conference on the eve of his departure.
"I can assure you that it is our desire to ensure that the UN are centrally involved."
Blair will meet UN Secretary General Kofi Annan in New York after his Camp David talks with Bush.
Annan yesterday said that any UN role after the war beyond relief assistance would have to be decided by the Security Council.
But the Council is still haggling over restarting the UN oil-for-food programme for Iraq, with the politics of war stalling agreement on a resolution.
Diplomats said Russia, France, China and Syria, staunch opponents of the war, were wary of a resolution that would have the United Nations coordinate efforts with US and British troops and thereby legitimise the military action.
In Washington, US Secretary of State Colin Powell said US officials were trying to determine "what kind of role should be played by the UN, what authorities are needed, how to do it in a way that will make sure that the gains of the coalition military action are harvested."
Blair acknowledged the deep rift between the United States and Europe, where France and Germany are implacably opposed to war. But he said he hoped ties could be restored.
"There is no point in hiding it - this has thrown up a profound issue about the nature of the transatlantic alliance," he said.
"I think most people when they really sit down and reflect upon the interests of Europe, they would regard the idea of sacrificing the transatlantic alliance as madness. Because it would be absolute madness."
Blair has gambled his political future on a war that has divided his party and country. The latest opinion poll in the Daily Telegraphtoday showed that any early euphoria had faded.
Support for the campaign remained steady but the proportion of people who believe the war was going very or fairly well has dropped sharply over the past 48 hours from 84 to 71 percent.