The 15 UN Security Council nations have given differing reactions to a new resolution proposed by the United States to attract more money and troops for Iraq.
France, Germany and Syria criticised it while Britain, Bulgaria, Spain and Chile welcomed it as a positive step.
But even France and Germany called the US proposal a basis for talks, and Secretary of State Colin Powell said he was ready to listen to their suggestions and consider any other "constructive input."
As council members digested the US draft - which Syria, Angola, Cameroon and Guinea only received on Thursday - it was clear the United States faced tough negotiations on several key issues.
The draft does not relinquish US political and military control of Iraq.
France, Germany, Russia and other council members want the US-led coalition to transfer political responsibility to an Iraqi government as quickly as possible. Many council nations are also demanding a much stronger UN role, and France would like to see the world body replace the United States as Iraq's interim administrator.
Syria also wants the UN to command the multinational force envisioned in the resolution - not the United States.
The draft resolution invites the US-appointed Iraqi Governing Council to co-operate with the UN and US officials in Baghdad to produce "a timetable and programme for the drafting of a new constitution for Iraq and for the holding of democratic elections".
But it contains no timeframe, and leaves the key decision in the hands of the Governing Council, which has taken months just to form a Cabinet. The United States believes the Iraqis must remain in charge of this process - but France and Germany want more Security Council control.
"We are naturally ready to study it in the most positive manner," French President Jacques Chirac said after meeting German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder. "But we are quite far removed from what we believe is the priority objective, which is the transfer of political responsibility to an Iraqi government as quickly as possible."