UNITED NATIONS (AP) — Seeking U.N. approval for war against Iraq, the United States, Britain and Spain submitted a resolution to the Security Council on Monday declaring that Saddam Hussein has missed “the final opportunity” to disarm peacefully and indicating he must now face the consequences.
But France, Russia and Germany, which oppose the military option, circulated an alternative plan to pursue a peaceful disarmament of Iraq through strengthened inspections over at least the next five months. They won immediate backing from China, despite Secretary of State Colin Powell’s lobbying efforts with top officials in Beijing on Monday.
The rival positions set the stage for a heated battle over whether the council would back the U.S. and British demand for war now or the French, Russian, and German call for war to be “a last resort.”
Getting approval for the U.S.-backed resolution will be a daunting task. To pass, the resolution must have nine “yes” votes and avoid a veto by France, Russia or China. Only Bulgaria is considered a strong bet to support the U.S.-British-Spanish plan.