US urges quick nod for resolution as UN conducts thorough review

THE United States urged speedy approval of its proposed resolution on disarming Iraq, as all 15 members of the UN Security Council prepared to review the document, paragraph by paragraph, yesterday.

Among the five veto-wielding members of the council, Russia appears to be the biggest obstacle. It has rejected the latest draft resolution and has not ruled out a veto, saying it is worried that language in the document would automatically sanction a military attack.

But US officials, who presented the seven-page document to the council on Wednesday, said the real threat was inaction.

“The real hidden trigger is the absence of a resolution,” said Richard Grenell, spokesman for US Ambassador John Negroponte.

While the focus has been on the debate between the five veto-wielding members, the ten elected council members also are important because a resolution must receive nine “yes” votes and no veto by a permanent member to be adopted.

There has been six weeks of negotiations between the US and the other veto-wielding permanent members, Russia, China, France and Britain.

The US proposal would give UN inspectors broad new powers to search for banned weapons and warns Iraq of “serious consequences” if it fails to meet its disarmament obligations.

Russia and France favour a two-stage approach that would give Iraq a chance to cooperate, and use force if Baghdad obstructed inspections.