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Politics : DON'T START THE WAR -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Mao II who wrote (11983)	2/23/2003 8:33:19 AM
From: Ed Huang	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 25898

Powell Hints at Timetable for War in Iraq Sun February 23, 2003 06:46 AM ET By Arshad Mohammed and Hassan Hafidh TOKYO/BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Secretary of State Colin Powell dropped heavy hints about Washington's timetable for war in Iraq Sunday, saying the U.N. should take vital decisions soon after a weapons inspectors' report expected on March 7. Powell told a news conference in Tokyo he expected the U.N. Security Council to make a judgment about a new resolution on Iraq -- to be presented by the United States and Britain early next week -- soon after the inspectors' report. "It isn't going to be a long period of time from the tabling of the resolution until a judgment is made as to whether the resolution is ready to be voted on or not," Powell said. "Iraq is still not complying and time is drawing to a close when...the Security Council, must show its relevance by insisting that Iraq disarm or that Iraq be disarmed by a coalition of forces that will go in and do it," he added. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld Thursday excited speculation about the timing of an attack on Iraq by saying the Western forces already massed in the Gulf were "ample" for the task. But Powell's remarks appeared to narrow the schedule. The U.S. military is believed to be anxious to act by April, when temperatures in Iraq begin to soar. Soldiers may have to spend extended periods in stifling protective suits and masks because of the threat of chemical or biological weapons. Powell flew from Tokyo to Beijing Sunday. The United States, backed by Britain, is mounting a diplomatic effort to win over the 10 rotating members of the Security Council to back a resolution paving the way for war and to persuade permanent members France, Russia and China not to veto it. China, like France and Russia, has said U.N. weapons inspectors should be given more time in Iraq. But analysts said it could give tacit backing to Washington by abstaining from voting, viewing Iraq as a distant problem not worth jeopardizing Sino-U.S. relations over. The British government, which is sending some 40,000 troops to the Gulf, also signaled Sunday that war to overthrow Iraqi President Saddam Hussein was not imminent. "We are making a final push for peace in the course of the next week and there will be further negotiations at the U.N. over the next few weeks," said Foreign Office minister Mike O'Brien. "We would prefer to have a second resolution, we are going to work very hard to get a second resolution and indeed we expect to get a second resolution unless Saddam disarms in the meantime. "I hope he does, I hope we can avoid war... but we must ensure Saddam is disarmed." RUSSIAN ENVOY IN BAGHDAD Former Russian Prime Minister Yevgeny Primakov was in Baghdad Sunday on an unexpected mission for President Vladimir Putin. Primakov, a Middle East expert and a long-time friend of Saddam, arrived late Saturday and was expected to meet senior Iraqi officials before leaving later Sunday. Russia, which is owed billions of dollars by Iraq and has signed valuable contracts to develop Iraqi oilfields, says it sees no need to use force against Baghdad. A major element of Washington's diplomatic preparation for war has been to win Turkey's permission to use its military bases as a launchpad and its border with Iraq as the gateway to invade. But Kurds in northern Iraq reacted angrily to what appeared to be the terms of the near-complete U.S.-Turkish deal. Turkey, ever anxious to dampen Kurdish nationalism in Iraq that might stir up separatism in its own Kurdish southeast, has announced it will send troops into northern Iraq on the heels of an American force, to prevent an independent Kurdish state emerging from the current crisis. "If there's a forced incursion... then believe me there will be uncontrolled clashes," said Hoshiyar Zebari, spokesman for the Kurdish Democratic Party. "And it will be bad for the image of the United States, Britain and other countries who want to help Iraq, to see two of their allies, Turkey and Kurdistan, at each other's throats." White House officials said Friday plans were being finalized with Turkey for a buffer zone just inside Iraq to control the flow of any refugees. The zone would strictly limit how far Turkish troops could go during and after a U.S. attack. Saudi Arabia, which has a long border with Iraq, raised the army's state of alert and started ordering gas masks for civilians. The kingdom is home to about 5,000 U.S. troops, but has yet to decide whether it will allow its ally Washington to attack Iraq from its territory without U.N. approval. Instead, Kuwait is the main base for the planned thrust of U.S.-led forces into southern Iraq. Kuwaiti authorities said on Sunday an Iraqi had been arrested in Kuwait on suspicion of spying. "The spy passed on information about American forces in Doha camp, their numbers and equipment," an Interior Ministry spokesman said. reuters.com