Please pull them out

Annan was asked whether he was concerned that the United States might now follow through with the threat and create difficulties for peacekeeping operations.

"I hope everyone will see it as a helpful decision, and I hope the U.S. will not introduce other threats or ... carry out this threat made two years ago to withdraw from peacekeeping operations," he said.

State Department spokesman Richard Boucher told reporters Wednesday that the issue of future peacekeeping operations was still being studied.

Every request will be examined, he said, and a key factor will be "what the risk might be of prosecution by a court to which we're not party."

U.N. Hopes U.S. Won't Pull Peace Forces