WELLINGTON -- European External Relations Commissioner Chris Patten called Wednesday for the United Nations to play the lead role in disarmament of Iraq and the post-war cleanup.

Speaking to reporters after meeting with New Zealand Foreign Minister Phil Goff, Patten said information out of Iraq from an independent body such as the UN was more likely to be believed than if it was provided by member groups of the Iraq war coalition.

"I think the more the UN can be involved in post-war Iraq, the better," Patten said.

"As far as I'm concerned, it goes for weapons inspections and other issues. We want to get oil flowing again soon, we want to get the oil-for-food program operating as effectively as possible and we want to see as many resources as possible going back into Iraq to build a better future for the people of Iraq.

"Everything would be easier to accomplish, in my view, if there is the maximum international (intervention)," he said.

Patten said that with the UN some skeptical nations would be more likely to believe information coming out of Iraq about any weapons being found.

"If you wanted to maintain the maximum credibility in the international community about the presence of weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, then the role of the UN is extremely important," Patten said. "It may be very unfair, but I think the international community is much less likely to believe what is said by those in the coalition in Iraq, than believe the UN inspectors. That may be unfair, but it's merely a statement of the blindingly obvious."

He said that did not mean the coalition members could not be trusted to give accurate information. "I wasn't saying you can't trust the Brits, or the Australians, or the Americans. What I was saying was that the international community, countries in the Arab League, for example, are more likely to believe the UN inspectors than anyone else."