The 15-0 vote formally approves the agreement reached by anti-Taliban Afghan groups in Bonn, Germany, to form an interim government to run the country for six months, beginning December 22. 

But the council put off a vote authorizing a multinational peacekeeping force to provide security in and around Kabul. The force would not be a U.N. peacekeeping operation, but a coalition of volunteer nations, endorsed by the United Nations. 

Although the United States had sought some mention of the multinational force, other diplomats wanted to have firm commitments from nations on troops and funding before any vote of authorization. 

"You need to know who's going to contribute, in what framework, and how much. That has to be formed by the potential contributors -- then the Security Council authorizes it," a Western diplomat told CNN. 

Britain, Canada, France, Turkey, Germany and Jordan are expected to join the multinational peacekeeping operation. 

The resolution adopted Thursday recognizes the "inalienable rights" of the Afghans to decide their own future, and calls on all parties to allow humanitarian workers access to provide aid to civilians. 

U.N. Deputy Relief Coordinator Carolyn McAskie said lack of security still prevented relief supplies from reaching needy civilians in many areas of Afghanistan, and that workers may have to consider military escorts. 

"We're prepared to consider all eventualities. We do not have a formal process right now of using military escorts in Afghanistan," she said. "But we would not rule it out, and we are, in fact, working with our partners on a policy which will help us to get access across the country." 

In Brussels, Belgium, U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell said Thursday that an international peacekeeping force will be sent into Afghanistan, although "the mix and the leadership" has yet to be determined. 

The new interim post-Taliban government formed on Wednesday has requested the presence of international peacekeepers, Powell said during a news conference at NATO headquarters. 

"There will be no shortage of troops," Powell said. 

Powell is in Brussels for two days of meetings with his counterparts from the 19 NATO-member nations.