Six undecided on UN Council seek Iraq compromise

5.30pm

UNITED NATIONS - The six undecided members of the UN Security Council weighed delaying a deadline for Iraqi compliance to April 17, a month later than demanded in a US-British-Spanish draft resolution, diplomats said today.

But Pakistan's UN ambassador, Munir Akram, said this was not yet a common position, with some of the six wanting a shorter and others seeking a longer extension.

If the six were to agree on a compromise plan, this could interfere with US hopes for a vote this week on a draft resolution that would give Baghdad until March 17 to fully cooperate with UN disarmament demands or face war.

In addition to Pakistan, the undecided members include Angola, Guinea, Cameroon, Mexico and Chile. Without their support, the US-backed proposal would not reach the minimum nine votes required for adoption.

Both the American and British UN ambassadors, John Negroponte and Jeremy Greenstock, said they hoped for a vote before the end of the week. But one would not take place as early tomorrow, as the two countries at one time had wanted.

Britain might be willing to consider extending the March 17 ultimatum, although not by much, Prime Minister Tony Blair's official spokesman said today.

Foreign Secretary Jack Straw told Parliament, "We are examining whether a list of defined tests for Iraqi compliance would be useful in helping the council come to a judgment."

Greenstock said he had no instructions to change the draft resolution but his country was open to discuss any proposals.

"Our job among colleagues in the Security Council is to find a way forward," he said before a closed-door council session.

The April 17 date would leave time to compile a list of specific disarmament demands that Iraq would have to meet, similar to a proposal put forward last month by Canada.

President Bush has massed hundreds of thousands of troops in the region and threatened to disarm Iraq by force if it does not reveal and destroy its alleged weapons of mass destruction, even if the council fails to approve a resolution clearing the way for war.

French President Jacques Chirac, who is leading the opposition to the US-British-Spanish plan, said today he was prepared to veto it if it came to a vote and he believed Russia and China would join him.

Guinea's UN ambassador, Mamady Traore, said he has been meeting with the wavering council members since Saturday in search of a proposal acceptable to the entire council.

The six wavering nations met again today, and Traore said they would continue to do so.

"There are some initiatives which are under way, and we are part of these initiatives," Angola's UN Ambassador Ismael Gaspar Martins told reporters. "As it is, I think we can still do some more about that resolution. I think everybody accepts that, including the sponsors of the resolution."

Mexico and Chile have also publicly acknowledged in recent days their desire for additional diplomacy.

Chile's president Ricardo Lagos told Chilean radio on Saturday that weapons inspectors should have more time to assure Iraqi disarmament. "Is it possible to achieve that by March 17? No, that would be very difficult," Lagos said.

- REUTERS