US rejects French and German peace plan

THE United States clashed openly with reluctant European allies yesterday, rejecting a last-ditch peace plan to send UN troops to Iraq along with a beefed-up team of weapons inspectors.

Secretary of State Colin Powell poured cold water on what Germany said was a Franco-German initiative to be presented at a crucial UN Security Council session Friday.

US officials criticised the proposal to send UN peacekeepers to Iraq and increase the number of weapons inspectors to force Saddam Hussein to disarm, calling it an ineffective ploy to delay military action.