UNITED NATIONS — The Security Council authorized a wide-ranging UN mission in Haiti on Friday with more than 8,000 troops and police as well as political and human rights experts to help stabilize the troubled Caribbean country.

The UN mission will start on June 1 for an initial period of six months, but the council said it intends to renew the mandate, a signal of its agreement with Secretary General Kofi Annan that a long-term UN commitment is essential to turn Haiti into "a functioning democracy."

The resolution adopted unanimously by the council authorized up to 6,700 troops and 1,622 international police, as Annan requested, but UN officials have stressed it will take time to reach those ceilings.

The UN military contingent will replace the 3,600-strong U.S.-led multinational force sent to Haiti after a three-week rebellion led the country's first democratically elected president, Jean-Bertrand Aristide, to flee in February.

The resolution commended the rapid deployment of the multinational force, which also includes contingents from Canada, Chile and France, "and the stabilization efforts it has undertaken."

But the council said "the situation in Haiti continues to constitute a threat to international peace and security in the region."

Declaring that the United States was "very pleased" with the resolution, U.S. deputy ambassador Stuart Holliday said it "will be an important step to get potential troop contributors to come forward."

Many countries were waiting for "a strong statement" from the council and "we think this will help," he said.

Chile's UN Ambassador Heraldo Munoz also said he was hopeful "we will have the adequate troops." He indicated that Brazil and Chile were likely contributors, along with other Latin American countries, and said there were also offers from outside the region, though he wouldn't identify any other countries.

Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said last week his country was prepared to take command of the UN force and send 1,470 troops if there was an international commitment to rebuild Haiti.

Canada currently has about 450 troops in the country.