Jordan Times, 2/25/03

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UNITED NATIONS (R) — The United States and Britain said they would bring a new resolution to a reluctant UN Security Council on Monday that would set the stage for war in Iraq by declaring Baghdad in violation of its UN obligations.

The 12-paragraph resolution will not have a deadline nor speak of "serious consequences," envoys of the two countries said. It would say simply that Iraq has failed to take advantage of its last chance to disarm provided in Security Council Resolution 1441 passed on Nov. 8.

British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw said in Brussels the key paragraph would say "that the Iraqi regime has failed to take its final opportunity to comply with the United Nations Security Council" afforded to it by Resolution 1441.

Britain's UN ambassador, Sir Jeremy Greenstock, will make the formal introduction, which the US and Spain will co-sponsor. A spokesman for Prime Minister Tony Blair said he hoped the measure would be put to a vote by mid-March, a signal there would be no invasion of Iraq before that time.

France, which has led the anti-war opposition that has strong support throughout the world, announced it would circulate a rival proposal on Monday, meant to strengthen UN weapons inspections with the aim of disarming Iraq peacefully.

Washington and London face an uphill task to get approval for their resolution in the face of opposition from France, Russia and China, who have veto power on the 15-member council.

So far the only members who openly support the US and Britain are Spain and Bulgaria. Others have spoken in favour of France's position for continuing arms inspections or are uncomfortable in having to make a decision.

Missile test for Saddam upcoming

Before the resolution is adopted or rejected Iraqi President Saddam Hussein faces a test on whether or not he will destroy dozens of missiles by March 1 as ordered on Friday by chief UN inspector Hans Blix.

Destruction of the Al Samoud 2 missiles, which have a range that exceeds UN limits, would be a blow to Iraq as it prepares for a possible invasion by US forces.

If it does not destroy them, the United States and Britain could use this as proof Iraq is not cooperating with the United Nations, showing that war is justified.

On Monday, Blix knocked down Iraqi hopes for a continuing dialogue with the United Nations on the missiles.

"We have set a date for the commencement of the destruction of these missiles and we expect that to be respected," he told reporters. Iraq had asked for another meeting with the inspectors on the issue.

In Baghdad on Monday, Gen. Amer Al Saadi, a top adviser to President Saddam Hussein, told reporters, "This is a technical issue and it is not actually considered a hurdle. If the goal is to continue on the legal path, which is through the Security Council, Iraq has no objections to deal with the issue realistically."

Blix said earlier Iraq's Al Samoud 2 missiles exceeded by 33 km the 150 km range set by the UN Security Council in a 1991 resolution.

He ordered Iraq to destroy not only the missiles, but their SA-2 engines, auto-pilots, guidance and control systems, launchers, fuel, oxidiser, casting chambers, equipment and components designed for production and testing as well as software and research used to construct the missiles.

In Brussels, Foreign Minister Dominique de Villepin said France's UN proposal would suggest specific deadlines and time-frames for Iraq to rid itself of nuclear, chemical, biological and missile programmes.

French proposals

France earlier this month circulated proposals to Security Council members calling for a tripling of inspectors and UN guards to "freeze" suspected weapons sites, and more spy plane overflights. These proposals were expected to be refined, probably in the form of an informal draft resolution.

The United States has been sending senior officials to lobby council nations. Two have already visited Mexico and another went to Africa to talk to officials in Angola, Cameroon and Guinea.

At the same time US President George W. Bush has been making telephone calls to his counterparts in various nations, including Chilean President Ricardo Lagos, whose government has publicly leaned toward the French position but is still undecided.

"It is true that President Bush called President Lagos, another thing is how you interpret that," a Chilean government spokesman said.

"Chile couldn't accept pressures because it has a sovereign and autonomous foreign policy," the spokesman added in Santiago. He said Chile would have to study the resolution.

On the other side, Chirac and German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder were scheduled to meet on Monday evening in Berlin to discuss their strategy.

Blix plans to deliver on Monday and on Tuesday a list of more than 30 unresolved questions about Iraqi disarmament to his advisory board, called a College of Commissioners and composed of some 16 government officials and technical experts from around the world.

After meeting the commissioners, Blix will submit a report to the Security Council by Saturday. That report is expected to be followed by an oral presentation to the council, tentatively scheduled for March 7.