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US P resident George W. Bush said Thursday the UN Security Council was in the final stages of deciding whether to back a war against Iraq and accused Saddam Hussein of making a "willful charade" of disarmament.

"We are days away from resolving this issue at the Security Council," Bush told a press conference at the White House, adding that he would press for a vote soon on a new resolution on Iraq.

It was "the final stages of diplomacy," he declared, highlighting how more than 200,000 US troops are now in place around Iraq ready for a war.

But with many observers saying that the United States appeared determined to start a war, Bush said later that "diplomacy has not worked, we have tried diplomacy for 12 years."

The UN Security Council will meet Friday to hear the latest report from the chief UN weapons inspectors and stage a new debate between opponents and supporters of the use of force against Iraq.

But he said the United States will call for a vote on a new resolution submitted by the United States, Britain and Spain whatever the level of support in the Security Council. France, Russia and China, which are also permanent members of the Council, are leading a coalition against the resolution.

"Yes, we will call for a vote, no matter what the whip count is," Bush told the news conference.

"We are calling for the vote, we want to see people stand up and say what their opinion is about Saddam Hussein and the utility of the United Nations Security Council."

Britain and the United States have indicated they would be willing to amend a draft resolution they have put to the Security Council.

But there has also been speculation that if the United States and Britain believe there is not sufficient support, they may not bring it to the vote, having argued that a previous resolution, 1441, already authorizes the use of force.

Also indicating the proximity of any conflict, Bush said UN inspectors would be given time to leave Iraq before any military action is launched. "We will give people a chance to leave. We don't want anybody in harm's way," he said.

The US president again insisted that the Iraqi president has failed to disarm. "This is a fact. It cannot be denied."

In the face of a UN disarmament ultimatum, "Saddam Hussein's response is to produce a few weapons for show while he hides the rest and builds even more," Bush said in an opening statement.

"Saddam Hussein has a long history of reckless aggression and terrible crimes.

"He possesses weapons of terror, he provides funding and training and safe haven to terrorists, terrorists who would willingly use weapons of mass destruction against America and other peace loving countries."

"These are the actions of a regime engaged in a willful charade," Bush insisted, saying that he would be happy for Saddam to go into exile, but expressing doubt that it would happen.

The president said it had also been an important week in the fight against terrorism, praising Pakistan for its assistance to the United States in helping to detain Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, the number three in the al-Qaeda terrorist network.

Bush said Sheikh Mohammed, who was detained in the Pakistani city of Rawalpindi last Saturday, was "the mastermind" of the September 11 attacks in the United States in 2001 that left about 3,000 dead - Sapa-AFP

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