BRUSSELS, Belgium: A higher-ranking European parliament lawmaker, in a report on EU-Iraq relations, has called on US-led foreign troops in Iraq to be replaced by a United Nations force.

Speaking at the EU assembly on Wednesday, Greek conservative Giorgos Dimitrakopoulos said the key to reversing the disastrous security situation more than two years after the US-led invasion was to phase out the Western military presence.

"The problem is that foreign troops are still in the country. I think it is going to be critical that they be replaced by a UN peacekeeping force," he told acknowledging it could not be done overnight.

Britain, which has the second-largest troop contingent in Iraq after the US, responded skeptically to the suggestion.

Foreign Secretary of Britain Jack Straw told the legislature he agreed that the security situation was poor and that over time foreign troops needed to be reduced and replaced by Iraqi security forces, which were gradually being trained.

"On the issue of whether there could be a UN blue-hatted force, I have no difficulty about that in principle. The only issue is actually encouraging other countries to come forward. Whether we can achieve that ... remains to be seen," Straw said.

Speakers on the left and centre of the assembly said the US-led invasion, justified by the alleged presence of weapons of mass destruction that were never found, was the root cause of the current violence and abductions in Iraq.