A draft UN Security Council resolution to expand the world body’s mandate in Iraq is expected to be approved soon.

The draft sponsored by the US and Britain will give the UN scope to help promote political reconciliation, settle disputed internal boundaries, and plan for a national census.

“I think it will get voted early next week,” Emyr Jones Parry, Britain’s ambassador to the UN, said. “There’s no problem on it - it’s straight forward.”

Britain circulated the resolution to the other Security Council members on Wednesday and council experts went over the text. The experts were expected to meet again on Friday.

Russia signalled its assent on Thursday, making approval by the Security Council almost certain.

Vitaly Churkin, Russia’s UN ambassador, said on Thursday that “it’s overall a good draft … I don’t see any basic problems.”

The UN secretary-general has been under pressure from the US to expand the world body’s role in Iraq.

Ban Ki-moon said in June he would consider it, but said deteriorating security in Iraq was an obstacle.

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