Blair prepares for emergency summit on Iraq

British Prime Minister Tony Blair was holding talks with ministers at Downing Street today, before an emergency summit with US president George Bush which could signal the final countdown to war on Iraq.

President Bush and Mr Blair, along with Spanish prime minister Jose Maria Aznar, will hold an emergency summit in the Azores tomorrow to decide how best to get agreement on their joint draft resolution on Iraq, currently before the United Nations Security Council.

Mr Blair was speaking to ministers and telephoning fellow leaders this morning as part of a last-ditch attempt to resolve the Iraq crisis peacefully.

But the Prime Minister has acknowledged that the prospects of obtaining a second resolution are “more difficult” after French foreign minister Dominique de Villepin restated his country’s intent to veto oe which authorises war.

Even if the new resolution is put before the security council and receives the nine votes it needs, a veto by France, Russia or China would blow it out of the water.

Mr de Villepin told BBC2’s Newsnight last night: “We will say no, if there is nine votes or not, if the resolution is a resolution authorising the will of force.

“Whatever happens, we are not going to let the other countries, what we call the undecided countries, take responsibility for this vote.”

Mr Blair’s official spokesman said: “We are continuing to work flat out for a second resolution.

“But this becomes more difficult when France continues to underline they have taken the strategic decision to block a new resolution that authorises or implies the use of force.”

Mr de Villepin’s comments had underlined that stance, Mr Blair’s spokesman said.

“This confirms to us that their in principle ’whatever the circumstances veto’ was and is designed to stop this happening.”

Mr Blair’s diplomatic efforts this weekend are seen as a last chance to avoid war.

President Bush has made clear that he will push on with America’s plans for an invasion of Iraq regardless, if there is no agreement on a new resolution by the early part of next week.

British ambassador to the UN, Sir Jeremy Greenstock, said war could now just be “days” away.

He told Channel 4 News last night: “I think we are talking days, and that’s why they (the three leaders) are getting together to see whether there is a last chance not to do it that way but give them the opportunity to do that.

“People are really trying to find a solution to this. They do not want war.

President Bush has made that clear.

“But nobody is convinced, Washington and London, that there is a satisfactory alternative. This (the Azores summit) is not cynical. We have been all along trying to do this by the peaceful route.”

In a concession to those on the Security Council who fear war on Iraq would further destabilise the Middle East, President Bush last night announced plans to publish his long-awaited “road map” for a peace settlement between Israelis and Palestinians.

Mr Blair immediately hailed this as a demonstration of the West’s “even-handedness” in dealing with Saddam Hussein and the Middle East conflict.