United Nations: UN Secretary General Kofi Annan has appealed to the sharply divided
Security Council to find a consensus over Iraq as the US indicated it might not seek
a vote on the second resolution and diplomats expressed anxiety over the effect of
such an action on the working of the world body.
Diplomats say rather than trying to reach a consensus, major powers continue to
harden their positions and the hard-hitting political speeches are making finding a
common ground harder and harder.
The US with around 300,000 troops and five aircraft carrier in the region and one
carrier on the way to Gulf, appears poised to attack Iraq barring some dramatic
development like abdication of President Saddam Hussein, which seems unlikely at
present.
Several foreign ministers are expected at the briefing to the Security Council by
chief weapons inspector Hans Blix and director-general of the International Atomic
Energy Agency (IAEA) Mohamed el Bardei on March 6, which – diplomats say – could be
the last before the American military action.
Germany, France, Spain and Syria have confirmed that their foreign ministers will
participate in the meeting.
Annan told the members to consider the implication of any unilateral action on the
mandate to inspectors and the humanitarian work.
He is optimistic that common ground can be found but the optimism is not shared by
several other members who say the divide between the US, Britain and Spain on one
hand and France, Russia and Germany is so wide that finding a middle ground is
becoming impossible.
PTI
