WASHINGTON/BAGHDAD, 10 March 2003 — US Secretary of State Colin Powell said yesterday that the United States was “in striking distance” of winning enough votes to back the UN Security Council resolution on Iraq but he would not be surprised if France blocked it with a veto.
Appearing on television talk shows to kick off a final diplomatic push to disarm Iraq, Powell said, “I think we are in striking distance of nine or 10 but we’ll just have to wait and see.”
But he said he expected France to try to block the measure and reiterated US vows to bypass the United Nations to launch a war on Iraq if necessary.
The resolution proposed by the United States, Britain and Spain sets a March 17 ultimatum for Iraq to comply fully with UN demands that it give up its suspected chemical, biological and nuclear weapons programs. Iraq denies having such weapons.
A vote by the 15-member Security Council was likely this week, Powell said on CNN’s “Late Edition.” US officials have in recent days been increasingly pessimistic about the resolution’s chances of passing.
“I would not be surprised if they (France) vetoed, because they have been pretty clear that they want to stop that resolution,” Powell told “Fox News Sunday.”
Powell said US relations with France — which despite occasional frictions have been an anchor of post World War II stability in Europe — would be seriously harmed by a veto although the two countries would remain allies.
“I think it will have a serious effect on bilateral relations,” he told Fox. In addition, “France would not be looked upon favorably in many parts of the world,” he said.
Prime Minister Tony Blair of Britain, Washington’s closest ally, lobbied foreign leaders by phone yesterday, among them Chinese President Jiang Zemin, China’s official media said.
French Foreign Minister Dominique de Villepin was about to embark on a whistle-stop tour of Guinea, Cameroon and Angola, “swing voters” in the Security Council, in the hope of persuading them to reject the US draft. A Security Council resolution needs a minimum nine votes for adoption and there must be no veto by any of the five permanent members: the United States, Britain, France, Russia and China.
The United States so far has the declared support of only Britain, Spain and Bulgaria. Half-a-dozen members seem to oppose it, instead wanting arms inspectors to have more time in Iraq.
US promises of economic aid to impoverished swing vote states may yet prove more tempting than political argument.
An Iraqi official surprised a news conference in Baghdad by saying chief UN weapons inspector Hans Blix might visit Baghdad on the deadline day.
“I don’t know really, but he might, he might visit us on the 17th of this month,” Gen. Hussam Mohammad Amin said without elaborating. A delegation of Arab foreign ministers will go to Baghdad tomorrow for talks aimed at averting war.
Huge crowds in Pakistan and Indonesia rallied against the looming war. Muslims in India’s capital also protested.
