UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan said today he hoped to report this week on a plan to transfer power from US-led occupation authorities to Iraqis.
"I hope we will be able to help break the impasse and steer things in the right direction," Mr Annan told reporters.
UN officials have said elections, as preferred by Iraqi Shi'ite leaders, are not possible by the June 30 hand-over date and that a US-proposed system of selecting an assembly by caucuses was also not feasible.
They also do not believe it wise to push back the June 30th date, set by Washington to transfer power to Iraqis, as it struggles to contain attacks by anti-US groups.
Mr Annan therefore has to recommend other options for a transfer of power before June, which could range from expanding the current Iraqi Governing Council to forming a new body, such as delegates to a conference on devising fundamental laws.
Asked when he would be able to complete the report, Mr Annan said. "I will be able to do that before I travel," a reference to a trip to Japan on Friday.
In Washington, Secretary of State Colin Powell said the Bush administration was open to ideas from the United Nations but was sticking to the July 1st deadline.