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Annan sure of consensus on IraqWhite House: Time 'running out' for U.N. to act
From Ronni Berke
UNITED NATIONS (CNN) -- Diplomats reported intense U.S.-French discussions Tuesday toward a compromise U.N. resolution on Iraq, and Secretary-General Kofi Annan said he was confident the Security Council would reach a consensus on the issue. The U.S.-French talks focused on reaching a compromise that might retain some reference to Iraq's "material breach" of its U.N. obligations, diplomats told CNN. Washington insists that such language is needed to show the Security Council's resolve in the face of Iraq's failure to cooperate with U.N. weapons inspectors. The French, however, were concerned that the mention of "material breach" would allow the United States to attack Iraq on its own. Diplomats said French and the U.S. diplomats were talking about ways to change the wording to make the text acceptable to both sides. "They are working out something that makes the French feel 'material breach' won't be a trigger on its own," one council diplomat told CNN. "The Americans will say it is now marshaled under the two-step procedure, but in their own minds, if they want to take action, they will take action," the diplomat said. In Washington, White House press secretary Ari Fleischer said "time is running out" for the United Nations to "get the job done." The United States accuses Iraq of having chemical and biological weapons and working to develop nuclear weapons, in violation of U.N. resolutions dating back to the 1991 Persian Gulf War. Iraq denies the allegations and has invited U.N. weapons inspectors back for the first time since 1998. On Monday, President Bush repeated his warning the United States would take military action to disarm Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein if the United Nations lacked "the will or the courage." Asked about the U.S. comments, Annan said the Security Council "is going about this deliberately and very carefully." "It is a serious matter. And we shouldn't forget that the council as a whole got the resolution only last Monday," Annan told CNN. "For them to take time and discuss this issue seriously is something we should be grateful for." Despite the divisions among the Security Council's five permanent members with veto powers -- the United States, Britain, France, Russia and China -- Annan said there was still a good chance to reach a consensus. "There will be a resolution, and I still hope it will be unanimous or approved by vast majority," Annan said. "This week may not be excluded." Diplomats said the United States also had signaled it might negotiate into next week if it appeared some progress was being made with the French. Earlier, Bush administration officials said they wanted to see a vote on Iraq by the end of the week. Secretary of State Colin Powell said Tuesday the United States would know "in the very near future" if there would be an agreement on the resolution. He said there are still "a couple of outstanding issues that are rather basic," but said negotiators were "getting closer" to an agreement. Diplomats said the fact the French did not formally introduce their own proposed text as a resolution shows they is not anxious to challenge Washington. "The French are worried about two-stage concerns, while the U.S. is concerned they should not be boxed into a corner, where they could never authorize the use of force," another diplomat close to the negotiations told CNN. The full 15-member Security Council planned to hold a closed session Tuesday afternoon to discuss less controversial parts of the U.S. draft resolution, but the meeting was canceled due to scheduling problems. Instead, the council will meet Wednesday morning. "We want to make sure to follow-up discussion of the entire resolution with the non-permanent members to hear their concerns," said a Western diplomat involved the negotiations. Hans Blix, the U.N.'s chief weapons inspector, and International Atomic Energy Agency Director-General Mohamed ElBaradei told council members Monday they need unified support before resuming weapons inspections inside Iraq. "We need explicit authority, good practical arrangements and information from all member states as [to] how to go and where to go to make sure that Iraq is completely disarmed," ElBaradei said. Blix said inspectors would not go back to Iraq before they have a new mandate from the council. He said Iraq should know what awaits if it attempts to block inspectors' work. "I think it is desirable that Iraq understands that any lack of cooperation or violation of the provisions of the resolution will call for reactions on the part of the council," he said. Blix and ElBaradei were scheduled to meet Wednesday with Vice President Dick Cheney and National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice to discuss the Iraq situation.
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