UNITED NATIONS, 26 October — In a surprise move, Russia and France yesterday began circulating proposals to significantly water-down a US draft resolution on Iraq, removing language that could authorize military force against Baghdad and limiting inspections on presidential sites. Both Russia and France have strongly opposed elements of the US draft and six weeks of negotiations failed to win them over.
The introduction of rival proposals was seen as the opening salvo in a new round of negotiations, which diplomats said are likely to continue into next week.
The United States countered by formally submitting its text to the Security Council to ensure it was the basis for discussions. The French and Russian proposals could also be introduced, but the US move meant its resolution would likely be voted on first.
The Russia text was more stridently opposed to the US draft resolution, while diplomats close to the negotiations said the French paper tried to bridge the American and Russian drafts in an effort to reach consensus within the Security Council.
"I think it shows that they’re genuinely trying to conduct a negotiation," said Britain’s UN Ambassador Jeremy Greenstock. Both the Russian and French texts eliminate references in the US draft to Iraq being in "material breach" for violating UN resolutions, a phrase some legal experts say could open the door for military action. The Russian text also removes a US warning of "serious consequences" if Iraq doesn’t comply with UN weapons inspections.
The competing drafts were circulated to Security Council members ahead of a new round of discussions at a closed Council meeting on the US text. Council diplomats said the United States intended to collect views from the 15 members and then look at the next steps, not negotiate.
US President George W. Bush asked Chinese President Jiang Zemin to back the US draft resolution. "China supports Iraq’s strict compliance with UN Security Council resolutions," Bush told reporters after meeting Jiang at his Texas ranch. "And today ... I urged President Jiang to support a new Security Council resolution demanding Iraq fully disarm itself of weapons of mass destruction."
Bush said he would reject any resolution that curtails his ability to take military action to disarm Iraq if the United Nations failed to do so. "We won’t accept a resolution which prevents us from doing exactly what I have told the American people is going to happen, and that is if the UN won’t act, and if Saddam won’t disarm, we will lead a coalition to disarm him."
Iraqi Foreign Minister Naji Sabri on Thursday likened the US draft to a declaration of war and said Iraq had worked in good faith and agreed to let UN inspectors back without any conditions.
