US seeks approval for final draft of Iraq resolution

THE US took a final draft of its Iraq resolution to the UN Security Council yesterday hoping to win approval from wary allies concerned it could trigger a new war against Saddam Hussein.

The draft has changed significantly since it was first introduced last month, but US officials said the bottom line remains the same: tough new weapons inspections coupled with a threat of "serious consequences" if Iraq fails to comply. While the revised draft offers major concessions to critics, it still frees the Bush administration to take military action against Iraq without a second resolution. In an attempt to meet French and Russian concerns, the new US draft gives Saddam "a final opportunity" to comply with UN inspectors, holds out the possibility of lifting sanctions against Iraq, and adds a reaffirmation of Iraq's sovereignty."

But it remains to be seen whether the latest draft, written with British support, will satisfy Russia, France and others. Russia's Deputy Foreign Minister Yuri Fedotov said yesterday that Moscow remains opposed to any wording that would give Washington a free hand in launching military action. "We still believe that it's necessary to ensure that the new resolution contains no automatic mechanism for the use of force," Fedotov said, according to the ITAR-Tass news agency.

US diplomats met with the other four veto-wielding permanent council members Russia, France, Britain and China before sharing the new text with the other 10 elected members. US Ambassador John Negroponte said he wanted a vote "by week's end." "We certainly believe that this is a resolution that deserves consensus support," Negroponte said. UN

Secretary-General Kofi Annan, who attended yesterday's council meeting, expressed hope that the council will speak "with one voice." "I would prefer to see a unanimous decision, 15-0," he said. "That is when we are really effective."

Norway, Colombia and Bulgaria indicated they will support the resolution. Mexico and Singapore said they had sent the new text to their capitals to be studied. Syria's deputy ambassador Fayssal Mekdad, whose country opposes any new resolution, said: "We have a lot of concerns." A US official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Powell worked out some of the

final points on key issues with French Foreign Minister Dominique de Villepin. But a French diplomat said Paris has not signed off on the new US draft. "It's too early to say we have an official position on a text," the diplomat said late Tuesday. "We have to see the text. We must send it to Paris and our government, including the president, will have a careful look at the entire text." However, the resolution does not meet Russian, French and Chinese demands that the possibility of force be considered only in a second resolution if Iraq fails to comply.