Members of a deeply riven Security Council prepared the diplomatic
ground Sunday ahead of a crucial week in the United Nations, with
the threat of war on Iraq looming large.
Amid a flurry of behind-the-scenes activity, British Prime Minister Tony Blair was facing a revolt among his ruling Labour party, with reports saying several ministers would resign if he went to war without UN backing.
The 15 members of the United Nations' top body were expected to vote Tuesday on a British-US draft resolution co-sponsored by Spain, giving Iraq until March 17 to comply with UN demands to disarm or face military action.
Baghdad continued to destroy more of its banned Al-Samoud 2 missiles under UN supervision, inspectors' spokesman Hiro Ueki said.
Iraq has scrapped 40 of the rockets since the process began a week ago in line with a UN ultimatum. Five combat warheads, one launcher and five engines have also been destroyed.
US President George W. Bush on Saturday dismissed a report by the UN weapons inspectors who said that Iraq had made "substantial" disarmament by destroying the missiles. Iraq was engaged in a "willful charade," Bush countered.
The US leader has stressed that the upcoming Security Council vote will determine nothing less than the credibility of the world body.
With veto-wielding members France, Russia and China leading opposition to the US-British stance, the rival camps were vying to secure backing from the 10 non-permanent Security Council members.
The balance tipped against the US-British side when a top Angolan official said Luanda would not back the resolution, although the non-permanent member has yet to declare its official position.
"We will not back this resolution... because its terms are not accepted by anyone," Deputy Foreign Minister Jorge Chicote told the BBC.
Five other members have yet to nail their colours to the mast, and Washington and London will face an uphill battle to win enough support to clinch the nine votes needed for the resolution to pass.
France and Russia have both said they will do whatever they can to prevent the passage of the resolution, without explicitly saying they would veto it.
Chinese President Jiang Zemin discussed the crisis with Blair in telephone talks Sunday, Chinese state media reported, citing the foreign ministry, with Jiang again insisting that UN inspections must continue and be strengthened.
Paris was meanwhile preparing a diplomatic offensive aimed at the three African members yet to officially signal their position, with Foreign Minister Dominique de Villepin set to leave later for Angola, Cameroon and Guinea.
His tour was to begin just as Bush intervened personally to stress the importance of bilateral relations to Cameroon President Paul Biya.
Blair was to telephone other leaders to try and win support for the push for war, his spokesman said.
A senior Japanese official said non-council member Tokyo would work for the adoption of the draft, amid reports that Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi would telephone wavering nations to muster support.
While Germany and Syria have spelled out their opposition to the proposed resolution, Bulgaria has shown support.
The remaining three members -- Mexico, Chile and Pakistan -- have held their cards close, but Chilean president President Ricardo Lagos hinted at opposition Saturday, saying the March 17 deadline did not give Iraq enough time.
The amendment in effect says Iraq has until March 17 to take the final opportunity to disarm peacefully offered by November's resolution 1441.
Iraq will have failed to take that opportunity unless, by March 17, "the council concludes that Iraq has demonstrated full, unconditional, immediate and active cooperation" with the inspectors, the amended text says.
In Britain, Blair would suffer a number of government resignations if he went to war without UN backing, the Sunday Telegraph newspaper reported.
Five members of Blair's Labour government, including three ministerial aides, told the newspaper they would resign over the issue.
The Sunday Times said as many as 10 ministers could resign, adding that up to half of Labour's members of parliament are set to back a rebel motion attacking Blair's push to war.
Both opinion polls and public demonstrations suggest that the rebels' opposition to war without UN backing reflects a more general attitude in the country.
Even so, Blair has emerged as Washington's closest ally in the crisis, in which Bush has vowed to lead a "coalition of the willing" to disarm Iraq by force if he deems the United Nations to have failed in its efforts to do so.
In Indonesia, a peace rally drew up to half-a-million people, according to various estimates, to demand a non-violent end to the Iraq crisis.
Saudi Arabia admitted US troops have deployed near the northern border with Iraq, but denied it intends to become a launchpad for a US attack on Baghdad.
Riyadh also said it would not provide Saddam asylum if he decided to quit as proposed by the United Arab Emirates.
An Arab League official in Cairo said that Iraq had agreed to a visit by a ministerial committee from the body for talks on the crisis - Sapa-AFP
Amid a flurry of behind-the-scenes activity, British Prime Minister Tony Blair was facing a revolt among his ruling Labour party, with reports saying several ministers would resign if he went to war without UN backing.
The 15 members of the United Nations' top body were expected to vote Tuesday on a British-US draft resolution co-sponsored by Spain, giving Iraq until March 17 to comply with UN demands to disarm or face military action.
Baghdad continued to destroy more of its banned Al-Samoud 2 missiles under UN supervision, inspectors' spokesman Hiro Ueki said.
Iraq has scrapped 40 of the rockets since the process began a week ago in line with a UN ultimatum. Five combat warheads, one launcher and five engines have also been destroyed.
US President George W. Bush on Saturday dismissed a report by the UN weapons inspectors who said that Iraq had made "substantial" disarmament by destroying the missiles. Iraq was engaged in a "willful charade," Bush countered.
The US leader has stressed that the upcoming Security Council vote will determine nothing less than the credibility of the world body.
With veto-wielding members France, Russia and China leading opposition to the US-British stance, the rival camps were vying to secure backing from the 10 non-permanent Security Council members.
The balance tipped against the US-British side when a top Angolan official said Luanda would not back the resolution, although the non-permanent member has yet to declare its official position.
"We will not back this resolution... because its terms are not accepted by anyone," Deputy Foreign Minister Jorge Chicote told the BBC.
Five other members have yet to nail their colours to the mast, and Washington and London will face an uphill battle to win enough support to clinch the nine votes needed for the resolution to pass.
France and Russia have both said they will do whatever they can to prevent the passage of the resolution, without explicitly saying they would veto it.
Chinese President Jiang Zemin discussed the crisis with Blair in telephone talks Sunday, Chinese state media reported, citing the foreign ministry, with Jiang again insisting that UN inspections must continue and be strengthened.
Paris was meanwhile preparing a diplomatic offensive aimed at the three African members yet to officially signal their position, with Foreign Minister Dominique de Villepin set to leave later for Angola, Cameroon and Guinea.
His tour was to begin just as Bush intervened personally to stress the importance of bilateral relations to Cameroon President Paul Biya.
Blair was to telephone other leaders to try and win support for the push for war, his spokesman said.
A senior Japanese official said non-council member Tokyo would work for the adoption of the draft, amid reports that Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi would telephone wavering nations to muster support.
While Germany and Syria have spelled out their opposition to the proposed resolution, Bulgaria has shown support.
The remaining three members -- Mexico, Chile and Pakistan -- have held their cards close, but Chilean president President Ricardo Lagos hinted at opposition Saturday, saying the March 17 deadline did not give Iraq enough time.
The amendment in effect says Iraq has until March 17 to take the final opportunity to disarm peacefully offered by November's resolution 1441.
Iraq will have failed to take that opportunity unless, by March 17, "the council concludes that Iraq has demonstrated full, unconditional, immediate and active cooperation" with the inspectors, the amended text says.
In Britain, Blair would suffer a number of government resignations if he went to war without UN backing, the Sunday Telegraph newspaper reported.
Five members of Blair's Labour government, including three ministerial aides, told the newspaper they would resign over the issue.
The Sunday Times said as many as 10 ministers could resign, adding that up to half of Labour's members of parliament are set to back a rebel motion attacking Blair's push to war.
Both opinion polls and public demonstrations suggest that the rebels' opposition to war without UN backing reflects a more general attitude in the country.
Even so, Blair has emerged as Washington's closest ally in the crisis, in which Bush has vowed to lead a "coalition of the willing" to disarm Iraq by force if he deems the United Nations to have failed in its efforts to do so.
In Indonesia, a peace rally drew up to half-a-million people, according to various estimates, to demand a non-violent end to the Iraq crisis.
Saudi Arabia admitted US troops have deployed near the northern border with Iraq, but denied it intends to become a launchpad for a US attack on Baghdad.
Riyadh also said it would not provide Saddam asylum if he decided to quit as proposed by the United Arab Emirates.
An Arab League official in Cairo said that Iraq had agreed to a visit by a ministerial committee from the body for talks on the crisis - Sapa-AFP
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