Britain bids to break UN deadlock
This came as the United States prepared for war by test-firing the biggest non-nuclear weapon at their disposal, in military exercises in Florida.
The US Air Force said it dropped a 21,000lb MOAB missile on a range in North West Florida late on Tuesday night.
US defence officials suggested the test was a "message to Iraq about the might of the US military".
With nine votes needed for a majority on the UN Security Council and a vote expected by the end of the week, Britain's proposals were aimed at winning over six uncommitted nations on the 15-member Security Council.
An amended resolution, expected to be formally presented to Security Council members last night, still seemed certain to be vetoed by France, Russia and possibly China. The US and Britain hope for a vote tomorrow, diplomats said.
Diplomats thought the list of British conditions would be next to impossible for Saddam to accept without fatally weakening the basis of his power. They included demands that Iraq:
Allow 30 of its scientists to be interviewed outside the country with their families in tow.
Surrender stocks of anthrax and other biological and chemical agents or produce documents to demonstrate what happened to them.
Destroy banned missiles.
Account for unmanned aerial vehicles.
Promise to hand over all mobile bio-production laboratories for destruction.
But the humiliating demand for a televised "mea culpa" alone is likely to be too much for Saddam, prompting anti-war members of Tony Blair's Labour Party to ask if the British Prime Minister's wish-list was little short of a declaration of war.
Last night British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw acknowledged Britain may have to abandon hopes of securing a new UN resolution before going to war with Iraq.
Mr Straw said, one way or the other, the process of trying to find a resolution would be brought to a conclusion by the end of the week.
US President George W Bush has vowed to go to war with or without UN backing.
"The Security Council needs to stand up, give him a very clear message that he needs to disarm that he has days, not weeks, to disarm," Mr Bush's National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice said.
Spanish Foreign Minister Ana Palacio, whose government supports the resolution, said the sponsors were considering not presenting it for a vote because France was sure to veto it.
