>Until now, the White House has avoided any mention of the United
>Nations in relation to its attack plans because it fears the Security
>Council will insist that efforts first be made to secure the return of
>weapons inspectors.
Financial Times - August 31, 2002
Blair may urge US to seek new mandate on Iraq By James Blitz and Cathy Newman in London
Tony Blair is studying ways to secure a fresh United Nations resolution to cover a military strike against Iraq, believing this could shore up an international coalition against Saddam Hussein.
At the end of a week that has seen the US make the bluntest statement yet of its determination to wage war on Iraq, the prime minister believes such a move may be the only way he can back Washington's military plans while at the same time containing the growing unrest on Iraq within his ruling the Labour party.
The main thrust of official policy towards Iraq continues to be that Mr Hussein should re- admit UN weapons inspectors to Iraq. But the Iraqi leader shows no sign of allowing this to happen and Dick Cheney, the US vice-president, has this week strongly indicated that he thinks there is little to be gained even if the inspectors were to be allowed in.
Under pressure from Jack Straw, the foreign secretary, Mr Blair is now considering how he might persuade the US to push for a new UN mandate as a precursor to any attack.
"He [Mr Blair] is certainly listening very carefully to the argument that a fresh UN resolution is needed," said one senior diplomat on Friday night. Another official close to the prime minister said: "The question being asked is whether this [a fresh UN resolution] could help build the coalition against Saddam Hussein. We are at the stage of posing that question."
One reason for pursuing the option is that there are growing signs that Russia and China - two key members of the UN Security Council - would support its passage.
"The Russians and Chinese won't be part of the coalition but they won't block a UN resolution either," said one senior diplomat.
He noted that in October Chinese president Jiang Zemin is due to visit President George W. Bush at his ranch in Crawford, Texas. "You don't go and see Bush in Crawford and then block him in the UN," he said.
There have also been signs this week that some Bush aides may be open to the idea of making one last effort to win UN backing.
Above all, however, Mr Blair is facing mounting pressure from the Labour party and trade union leaders at the forthcoming conference season to counter the White House's determination to wage war on Iraq.
John Edmonds, general secretary of the GMB general union, told the FT: "Nobody on the left is going to give Saddam Hussein a free hand to build up weapons of mass destruction, but if the government wants to maintain support within the movement it must send a clear signal that it will only embark on military action if it has the authority of the UN."
A senior Whitehall official said: "For the sake of international legitimacy there's something to be said for getting the backing of a Security Council resolution.
"It gives you the air of legitimacy; it strengthens your hand with the rest of the international community."
Iraq is on the agenda of European foreign ministers who are due to meet on Saturday in Elsinore, Denmark.
Aides to Mr Blair said on Friday that there was no question of the prime minister seeking to put pressure on the White House to back the idea of a resolution. "It does not help if you join the chorus of countries which say the US must do this or that," said one.
They also made clear that Mr Blair would not back the idea of a UN resolution if it were to delay dealing with the fundamental issue which was depriving Mr Hussein of his weapons of mass destruction.
"If seeking a new UN resolution is going to become a bone of contention then it isn't going to work," said one.