United Nations: With the US, Spain and Britain heading for an emergency summit on March 16, diplomatic efforts to resolve the Iraqi disarmament issue entered the last few days – perhaps the last week – with little possibility of any compromise or consensus emerging, diplomats and officials at the United Nations say.

With all eyes set on the outcome of the emergency summit in Portugal's Azores islands, 1,450 kms from the United Nations headquarters, there was little activity at the world body on March 14 and no formal consultations among the Security Council members on Iraq. After days of hectic activity, its corridors were empty and silent.

The top Bush administration officials say the summit would explore all possibilities, which diplomats interpret as meaning that it would also consider taking military action without the proposed second resolution.

Diplomats and officials are now openly discussing the possibility of the United States and allies taking military action, claiming authority to use force under the previous 1441 resolution.

With top advisers of Bush warning that rejection of the second resolution could be seen by the adversaries as taking away the legal authority to wage war available under 1441, diplomats are veering round the view that there would be no vote on the second resolution and Washington would withdraw the resolution ahead of the military action.

Diplomats seemed resigned to failure of the Council members to bridge their differences and some of them reported that there was hardly any dialogue between the major antagonists.

The summit was hastily arranged, after it became clear that the US and Britain have failed to muster requisite support for adoption of their second resolution, or London's compromise laying down six conditions for Iraq to fulfil.

Chile floated a "compromise" proposal on March 14 that would give Iraq three to four weeks to complete disarmament tasks and allow the inspectors to make judgment. Then the Council would make the final judgment about compliance. But Washington promptly rejected it, which, according to diplomats, shows that the military action could come as early as the end of next week.

With its more than 260,000 troops ready to strike, all equipment in place and summer fast approaching, the United States cannot wait for long for action without affecting the morale of its military, diplomats said. It has to take a decision one way or the other within next few days.

They say the six "undecided" members of the Council – Mexico, Chile, Angola, Guinea, Cameroon and Pakistan – too have not been able to devise common position and only commonality among them is that they are wavering.

They held several meetings to draw up a proposal they could unitedly present to the Council, but have so far failed. Each has its own position that it wants others to adopt.

While announcing the summit, White House spokesman Ari Fleischer reiterated the oft- repeated threat that the United States would disarm Iraq with force if necessary, with or without the United Nations.

PTI