United Nations: The United States and Britain are drafting a resolution to be
presented in the United Nations Security Council next week declaring that Iraq has
failed to disarm and must face "serious consequences", media reported on February 14
quoting senior US officials.
The officials described the draft as short statement of key passages of the
resolution 1441 passed unanimously on November 8 under which weapons inspections are
being held now in Iraq.
The resolution, which might be presented to the Council as early as next week, and
the US diplomats would argue that French approach to strengthen inspections would be
futile, 'The New York Times' quoted an official as saying.
The draft would end with "words to the effect that Saddam didn't avail himself of
the final chance to disarm and will now face the serious consequences", the official
said, adding, it would not mention military action specifically.
Several officials expressed fear that the deep divide over Iraq that had already
triggered a crisis within the North Atlantic treaty Organisation (NATO) alliance may
soon engulf the European Union even as President Bush's aides were unsure whether
they have the requisite nine votes to pass a "clearly-worded"
resolution.
Clearly worried about that prospect, the paper said, British Prime Minister Tony
Blair, wrote a letter on February 13 to his fellow European Union leaders demanding
that they support military action against Iraq when they meet next week.
"While we all of course regard military action as a last resort," Blair said, "we
must make clear that no member state rules it out if needed to uphold the authority"
of the Security Council.
PTI
