Washington: US Secretary of State Colin Powell on October 9 said that he was in intense talks with French and Russian counterparts over their resistance to using the threat of force against Iraq in a UN Security Council resolution.

"The Iraqis are not going to do anything unless there is pressure," he said, adding, "it would be better for this pressure to be contained in one resolution".

Russia and France, who along with the US, Britain and China are the five veto- wielding permanent members of the UN Security Council, oppose the mention of force against Iraq in any new resolution the security council passes on Iraqi disarmament and weapons inspections.

"I'm in constant contact with my French colleague, my Russian colleague," Powell said in an interview with international news agencies. "We are trying to see if there is a way to resolve this difference of view."

Despite the differences over wording, he said, there exists "a unanimity of view" on the Security Council that Iraq has been violating 16 disarmament-related UN resolutions passed since the 1990-91 Gulf War.

The Security Council believes, said Powell, that "Iraq must disarm, and there is now...a view converging on the need for a new resolution for tough inspection standards.

"The major issue to discuss," he said, "is how to keep the threat of consequences, the possibility of consequences, tied as closely as one can to the new requirements being placed upon Iraq."

Powell also suggested the notion of "change of regime" in Baghdad, Washington's official priority, might be revisited based on Iraq's co-operation in meeting international demands.