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Politics : Foreign Affairs Discussion Group -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: carranza2 who wrote (79966)	3/6/2003 3:48:00 PM
From: paul_philp	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 281500

FT is a better source - Blair needs the veto though. Next week is a big week for the UN. UK set to ignore United Nations on Iraq By Krishna Guha in London, James Harding in Washington and Mark Turner at the United Nations news.ft.com Britain is prepared to join the US in a war against Iraq even if France and Russia veto a new resolution at the United Nations Security Council, Tony Blair, UK prime minister, said on Thursday. In a sign of mounting diplomatic tension over French-led efforts to block a new resolution authorising military action, Mr Blair made clear for the first time that, like the US, Britain would not be held back even if there were more than one "unreasonable" vetoes. Special report: Iraq For latest news and analysis on Iraq click here His comments in an interview with MTV music television station came on the eve of the latest report to the Security Council on Friday by Hans Blix, chief UN weapons inspector, on whether Iraq is complying with demands under November's Resolution 1441 to give up its weapons of mass destruction. Colin Powell, US secretary of state, will urge the 15 council members not to give President Saddam Hussein any more time to comply and to vote next week for a second resolution giving the green light for use of force. On Thursday China said it backed a statement issued on Wednesday by France, Germany and Russia pledging to block the new resolution and calling for more time for inspections. As permanent members of the Security Council, China, France and Russia have the power of veto. US and UK woo voters over possible amendment Click here Mr Blair, under political pressure at home not to go to war without UN backing, said he still believed it was possible to pass the new resolution. Britain has proposed writing in a short delay giving Iraq a final chance to disarm in an effort to win over wavering council members. But the prime minister appeared to acknowledge the resolution may yet face a French and possibly a Russian veto. Asked whether he would take military action without a second resolution, he said: "If there was a veto applied by one of the countries with a veto, or by countries that I thought were applying the veto unreasonably, in those circumstances we would." Mr Blair said the UK and US could not sustain the military pressure on Iraq indefinitely. "We have 300,000 troops down their there sitting on his doorstep. We can't wait for ever." The growing assumption in Washington is that President George W. Bush has made up his mind to go to war. Latin American ambassadors called to the White House for a briefing with Condoleezza Rice, national security adviser, left with the impression that "the decision has been made", one said.