New get-tough vote on Iraq after France comes on board

NEW YORK - The United States and France came to a last-minute agreement yesterday on a tough UN resolution giving Iraq a last chance to disarm or face war, thereby making a vote today fairly certain.

Diplomats said the deal came after French President Jacques Chirac spoke to US President George W. Bush on outstanding issues.

But Russia, whose president, Vladimir Putin, also spoke to Bush yesterday, has not signalled whether it would vote in favour or abstain, although diplomats expected Moscow to vote "yes". The United States and Britain want a united UN Security Council vote to send a clear message to Iraq.

"I'm optimistic we'll get the resolution vote tomorrow," Bush said. "When this resolution passes, I will be able to say that the United Nations has recognised the threat and now we're going to work together to disarm him," he said, referring to Iraqi President Saddam Hussein.

The revised US text, the third after eight weeks of arduous negotiations, included concessions that would give the Security Council a limited role before any military attack. But it still leaves Washington free to strike Iraq if it does not co-operate with UN arms inspectors trying to account for Baghdad's weapons of mass destruction.

China, which holds the rotating council presidency for November, expects a solution soon. "If you can compare the differences of all sides to clouds, I can say the clouds are getting thinner and thinner," Beijing's envoy, Zhang Yishan, said, adding that "the sunlight of unity is about to come".

A minimum of nine votes and no veto from the United States, Russia, China, France and Britain is required for adoption of a resolution by the 15-member Security Council.

France and Russia wanted to make sure there were no "hidden triggers" to allow Washington to attack Iraq whenever it chooses and then claim the United Nations authorised it.

The US text calls for a new round of Security Council deliberations if Iraq fails to comply with UN weapons inspections. The council could then authorise force, but the resolution does not require it.

The main deal came down to "and" and "or" in a paragraph declaring Iraq in "further material breach" - words that could mean war - if it violates demands in the new resolution.

By removing the "or" the resolution now gives a privileged position to chief UN weapons inspectors to report a serious violation to the council, which would then meet to evaluate the material breach, the main US concession to the French and Russians.

But US officials played down the controversy and emphasised that any council member could still file a report on a material breach.

Nevertheless, for many nations the weapons inspectors had been given priority to declare serious violations so that the United States would not make a unilateral decision.

The resolution says Iraq has "a final opportunity" to scrap its weapons of mass destruction and threatens "serious consequences" if it does not.

The six-page draft gives UN arms inspectors unrestricted inspection rights, including scrutiny of President Saddam Hussein's palace compounds.

For Iraq, the resolution is a blueprint for war rather than a measure aimed at disarmament. "We find the whole resolution constitutes a trigger to wage war against my country," Iraq's UN Ambassador Mohammed Aldouri said.

Chief UN weapons inspector Hans Blix said an advance team would go to Baghdad within 10 days after the resolution is approved. He and Mohammed El Baradei, director of the International Atomic Energy Agency, in charge of nuclear inspection teams, have 45 days to begin work and then 60 days to submit a report to the council.

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

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

- REUTERS

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