Anti-war voices gain ground at UN By Guy Dinmore and Mark Turner at the United Nations
The US and Britain were on Friday night struggling to sustain their call for early action against Iraq after opponents of war seized on reports by United Nations weapons inspectors to demand more time for Baghdad to disarm peacefully.
The eagerly awaited reports appeared to swing a clear majority of the 15 Security Council members behind calls to delay any move to use military force, despite an impassioned appeal for tough action by Colin Powell, US secretary of state. "We cannot allow this process to be endlessly strung out"
The pressure is set to increase on Saturday when millions of people are expected to join anti-war demonstrations in New York, London, Paris, Berlin and other cities across the world.
Although President George W. Bush is confident of winning public backing for a war, strong public hostility in the US and among important European allies has put enormous political pressure on his chief supporter, Tony Blair, the UK prime minister.
Accusing Iraq of "playing tricks", Mr Powell said: "We cannot allow this process to be endlessly strung out." He said the Security Council would have to consider "in the very near future" unleashing military action against the Iraqi regime.More news and analysis of events at the UN, and planned anti-war protests Click here
But most security council members, led by France, argued that progress in disarmament was being made, despite US and UK insistence that Iraq was refusing to comply with resolution 1441 passed last November demanding "immediate, active and unconditional co-operation".
Dominique de Villepin, the French foreign minister, drew rare and sustained applause from the security council chamber at the end of an emotional speech in which he argued that war was not yet justified and that a premature recourse to force was fraught with risks. Saying "big gains" had been made since Hans Blix, the chief inspector, delivered his last report on January 27, Mr de Villepin said "real progress is emerging". "We have just learnt that inspections are securing results"
He proposed that foreign ministers should meet again on March 14 to assess what should be done.
Russia and China, both permanent members of the council, with veto power, also called for more time and strengthened inspections.
Mr Blix was markedly less critical of Iraq's lack of co-operation than in his report of January 27. He also contested three issues raised by Mr Powell in his presentation to the council last week. Mr Blix said there was no "convincing" evidence that the Iraqi side knew in advance what sites were to be inspected.UN weapons inspectors' reports: at a glance
Further, he said the missile test stand shown by US satellite images had not been used for proscribed activities and that a movement of trucks outside a munitions depot could have been routine, not part of a concealment exercise.
But he criticised Iraq for not providing the material and evidence required to respond to questions about anthrax, VX nerve gas and long-range missiles. "Iraq must itself squarely tackle this task and avoid belittling the questions," Mr Blix said.
A US official said it remained to be seen whether they would press ahead with plans to put forward a second resolution.
But as France had not ruled out the use of force as a last resort, diplomats indicated there could be room for a unity-saving agreement on presenting Mr Hussein with a deadline for compliance.
As Mr Blix prepared to address the UN, Mr Bush yesterday held a meeting with General Tommy Franks and his top national security team to discuss further plans for war in Iraq.