Veto could let Saddam ‘off hook’, warns Blair

BRITISH Prime Minister Tony Blair yesterday vented his frustration at France and Russia — warning that their threats to veto a new United Nations resolution on Iraq risked letting Saddam Hussein “off the hook”.

The divided United Nations Security Council is preparing for an open debate on the Iraq crisis, which could see US-led military action begin within days.

British diplomats are suggesting possible amendments to a proposed new resolution on Iraq, to avoid what appears to be an inevitable defeat in the Security Council.

The ideas include extending the deadline for Iraq to disarm beyond the current proposal of March 17, or putting down a series of benchmarks by which Iraq can be judged.

The waverers are looking for some assurance that the resolution would not automatically authorise war, but Washington says it does not want any further excuse for delay and is insisting that a vote will take place this week.

Britain and the US brushed aside an alternative plan by the six undecided nations on the Security Council for more time, extending the proposed March 17 deadline to 45 days.

White House spokesman Ari Fleischer immediately dismissed the plan as a "non-starter".

And Britain's ambassador to the UN, Jeremy Greenstock, said while they were prepared to consider an extension to the March 17 deadline, they did not want to go beyond the end of the month.

With Britain and the US struggling to find support on the 15 nation Security Council, the US and Britain have been trying to win over the undecided six Chile, Mexico, Pakistan, Cameroon, Guinea and Angola.

After France vowed it would veto any resolution backing military action, Mr Blair responded with a warning about the dangers of driving a wedge between Europe and America.

In barbed comments apparently aimed at French President Jacques Chirac, he said that seeking easy applause by making a show of "standing up to America" could have damaging consequences for the international community.

"Dividing Europe from America, an alliance that has served us well for over half a century...would be a very, very dangerous thing to do.

"My concern is that if countries talk about using a veto in all sets of circumstances, the message that sends to Saddam is 'you are off the hook' and I think that would be very unfortunate," he said.

In Baghdad yesterday, a UN spokesman said Iraq still needed to answer a number of outstanding issues on disarmament, including questions over VX nerve gas and anthrax.

Hiro Ueki, spokesman for UN arms inspectors in Iraq, said more investigation was needed to determine whether an undeclared drone capable of dispensing chemical weapons constituted a "smoking gun" concrete evidence that Iraq did have banned weapons.