14-day countdown to war

THE US and Britain signalled the start of a 14-day countdown to war with Saddam Hussein last night when they tabled a second resolution with the United Nations Security Council.

However, France, Russia and Germany, which oppose the war option, circulated an alternative plan to pursue a peaceful disarmament of Iraq over at least the next five months. China said it also supports that proposal.

The rival positions set the stage for a heated battle over whether the council would back the US and British demand for war now or the French, Russian, and German call for war to be "a last resort."