United Nations ? Supporters and opponents of the U.S.-led war in Iraq endorsed a planned donors conference Tuesday to finance the reconstruction of the country through 2004.

The daylong meeting, mostly behind closed doors, brought together representatives from 52 countries, the United Nations, the World Bank and the U.S.-led coalition now running Iraq to decide on reconstruction and an initial timetable.

Mark Malloch Brown, administrator of the U.N. Development Program and host of the conference, said there was agreement that the focus of the October conference would be financing for next year focusing on short-term projects to meet immediate needs not ambitious longer-term reconstruction projects.

The European Union, Japan, the United States and the United Arab Emirates stepped forward as government sponsors of the conference, which is expected to be attended by foreign ministers. They will support preparations by the World Bank, U.N. agencies and the International Monetary Fund, he said.