US push for swift UN vote on Iraq offer

NEW YORK - Threatening to give Iraq a last chance to disarm or face war, the United States said it wants the UN Security Council to adopt by Saturday a tough new resolution on Iraq, but France and Russia have not yet agreed.

The third and latest draft of the resolution, the result of eight weeks of negotiations on scrapping any weapons of mass destruction Iraq may have, was formally presented to council members yesterday and will be reviewed again today.

US Ambassador John Negroponte told reporters he wanted a vote on Saturday. But Secretary of State Colin Powell, the key negotiator on the resolution, cancelled a trip to South Korea next week so he could deal with any last minute hitch.

France and Russia held back their endorsement, despite several concessions in the revised US-British text that would give the security council a limited role in determining whether war can be waged against Iraq.

President Jacques Chirac's spokeswoman, Catherine Colonna, said the French president and Russian President Vladimir Putin believed that "certain ambiguities needed to be cleared up" on the use of force.

Diplomats said French, Russian and Chinese envoys at yesterday's council session questioned wording that might allow the United States, rather than UN arms inspectors, to judge violations by Iraq that could trigger war.

France, which led resistance to the resolution, had argued against "hidden triggers" that would give the United States the right to attack Iraq, overthrow President Saddam Hussein and then claim the United Nations had authorised it.

The resolution now calls for a new round of security council deliberations if Iraq fails to comply with UN arms inspections, a concession to France.

The council could then adopt another resolution authorising force but is this is not a requirement, thereby leaving the United States free to attack.

"The resolution makes very clear that this is a final opportunity for Iraq to disarm," State Department spokesman Richard Boucher said.

"Either they disarm in cooperation with the requirements of the Security Council or they are made to disarm, either through Security Council action or through action by Security Council members."

The document declares Iraq in "material breach" of its disarmament obligations, a term that has been invoked by the United States to allow a military strike. It says Iraq has "a final opportunity" to scrap its weapons of mass destruction and threatens "serious consequences".

Diplomats said France, Russia and China, who have veto power in the council, were concerned about paragraph four of the resolution that would declare Iraq in "further material breach" if Baghdad submits "false statements or omissions" or otherwise refuses to comply with the UN weapons inspectors.

The inspectors are required to report serious violations immediately to the UN Security Council "for assessment."

But new language in paragraph four, which may be amended, appears to allow the United States to report Iraqi violations to the council if the inspectors fail to do so, thereby circumventing a carefully worked out compromise.

British Ambassador Sir Jeremy Greenstock and Negroponte said the resolution was not a call to arms.

"This is about the disarmament of Iraq through inspections and by peaceful means," Greenstock said. "This is not about triggers. This is not about the use of force."

The six-page draft gives UN arms inspectors far-reaching powers, including an unrestricted right to enter President Saddam Hussein's palace compounds.

Chief UN weapons inspector Hans Blix told reporters an advance group would leave for Baghdad within 10 days after the resolution is approved.

He and Mohammed ElBaradei, director of the International Atomic Energy Agency, in charge of nuclear inspection teams, have 45 days to begin work and submit a report to the council within 60 days after thereafter.

Once the resolution is adopted, Iraq has seven days to accept its terms and 30 days to submit a declaration of all programs to develop nuclear, chemical, biological or ballistic weapons and all related materials.

But Blix said it would be difficult for Iraq to report on its large civilian petrochemical industries within 30 days and Negroponte said his view would be considered.

The new resolution showed a considerable shift by the Bush administration compared to the first draft in late September. Dropped since then were demands to use force against Iraq, regardless of progress in arms inspections.

In the face of widespread opposition, Washington also backed off demands it be allowed to send inspectors and troops with the UN teams and suggest what sites they should scrutinise.

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Feature: War with Iraq

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