Two-week deadline for Saddam to avert war

Saddam Hussein was tonight given two weeks to disarm in what Downing Street called his “last chance” to avert war.

Britain and the United States are putting a new draft resolution that could trigger military action before the United Nations this evening.

The UN Security Council will vote on the draft, also backed by Spain, in around a fortnight, said British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw.

France, Germany and Russia, who oppose military action, proposed increased inspections, a move repeatedly rejected by the US and UK.

But Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon warned that if Saddam does not comply, allied troops are ready for war whether the resolution is passed or not.

Tony Blair’s official spokesman stressed the Iraqi dictator should be under no illusions that this was his final opportunity.

Saddam should not continue to misread the mood of the West, the spokesman warned.

“What we have done is deliberately create a window in which Saddam will get the message loud and clear this is his last chance,” he said.

US President George Bush said the draft “spells out what the world has witnessed in the last months. The Iraq regime has not disarmed.

“The Iraqi regime is not disarming as required by last fall’s unanimous vote of the Security Council.”

With many members of the Security Council currently opposed to military action, Mr Bush warned failure to adopt the resolution would make the UN irrelevant.

“It’s a moment for this body ... to determine whether or not it’s going to be relevant as the world confronts threats in the 21st century. Is it going to be a body that means what it says? We certainly hope so,” the President said.

That message was echoed by Mr Straw, who said: “We do not want to have to use the threat of force which has persuaded Iraq reluctantly to readmit the UN’s disarmament team.

“But if we hesitate Saddam will conclude that the threat of force is not credible and that he can defy the United Nations indefinitely.

“We cannot let him show that defiance of the UN pays.”

The allies face a tough task to persuade the Security Council to adopt the resolution.

At least nine of the 15 members must back it and even then one of the other permanent five – France, Russia and China – can exercise their veto.

Only temporary members Spain and Bulgaria have so far come out in support of London and Washington.

French President Jacques Chirac tonight repeated his opposition to the resolution at a meeting with German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder.

“We see no reason in this context to change our logic, which is a logic of peace, and to switch to a logic of war,” he said.

France, Germany and Russia had submitted a proposal to the UN Security Council today which “set deadlines for disarmament, programme by programme”, he said.

Britain and the US have launched a diplomatic offensive to secure international support for the resolution.

The White House and Downing Street hope their case will be helped by chief weapons inspector Dr Hans Blix’s forthcoming report to the Security Council.

President Bush intends to push for a vote following his presentation on Iraq’s compliance with UN demands to disarm which is expected next week.

Britain has repeatedly expressed a preference for a resolution, which would help Mr Blair win over sections of the public and his own Labour party.

Mr Blair will update MPs when he delivers a Commons statement on the crisis tomorrow.

Downing Street confirmed they will not be given the chance to vote on whether to go to war. However, many are expected to take what they fear will be a last opportunity to register their opposition before an attack is launched.

Earlier, Mr Hoon declared allied troops ready for action and said the lack of a fresh UN resolution would not hold them back.

“There is no rush to war. We must do everything we can to avoid war,” the Defence Secretary said.

“But we must also be clear – if conflict remains the only way of disarming Saddam, we are ready.”