US puts tough new plan on Iraq to UN

PUSHING ahead on Iraq after weeks of diplomatic wrangling, the United States put its tough new proposal into the hands of the Security Council in preparation for a vote that could come as early as next week.

Russia appeared to be the main obstacle yesterday, rejecting the draft chiefly due to language that could trigger military action against Iraq. But France, which has similar objections and was a vocal opponent of earlier US offerings, was ready to negotiate and wouldn't block the resolution's passage, French diplomats said.

The US proposal, drafted with British support, gives UN inspectors broad new powers to search and destroy banned weapons and warns Iraq of "serious consequences" if it obstructs their work.

British Ambassador Jeremy Greenstock said the text "is very clearly intended to be a last chance offer to Iraq."

Stepping up the pressure on the council, White House officials said they wanted negotiations wrapped up quickly. And a senior US official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the draft was introduced to the full 15-member council on Wednesday in the hopes of showing China, France and Russia that it had support from other members.

President Bush told North Carolina supporters yesterday that Iraq's president posed a threat to America and the world.

"We have made the call to the international community and to Mr Saddam Hussein himself to disarm. But, friends, if the United Nations won't act, if they're feeble in their responsibility, and if Saddam Hussein will not disarm, the United States will lead a coalition in the name of peace to disarm Saddam Hussein," he said.

But Moscow didn't seem hurried. "A quick putting of the draft to vote would be counterproductive," Deputy Russian Foreign Minister Yuri Fedotov said in Moscow.

An overwhelming majority of Security Council members said in closed-door consultations on Wednesday that they favoured a new resolution, the return of inspectors, and a unified message to Iraq to disarm, diplomats said on condition of anonymity.

But several ambassadors who got their first look at the new draft also cautioned against resorting to a military solution and complained that they were kept in the dark too long about where the United States was going on Iraq, diplomats said. Only Syria remained opposed to a new resolution.

In remarks to the Arab satellite television broadcaster Al-Jazeera, Iraqi Foreign Minister Naji Sabri branded the new draft resolution "an insult to the United Nations" and a "pretext to attack Iraq."

Sabri also accused the United States of "harassing" Iraqi diplomats in New York and Vienna "to try to lure them into betraying their country."

The US plan has been a work-in-progress since Bush came to the United Nations on September 12 and challenged world leaders to get tough on Iraq or stand aside.