The United States presented the Security Council today with a proposal for a resolution, revised to draw the support of France, that would give Iraq a last chance to accept rigorous weapons inspections and disarm or face an American-led war.
The United States decided today to submit its final proposal for a resolution on Iraq to the Security Council on Wednesday, after Secretary of State Colin L. Powell concluded that the draft would receive the crucial support of France, Bush administration officials said.
Martti Ahtisaari, a former President of Finland with experience in the Balkans, led a team assigned to come up with a comprehensive proposal for the resolution of Kosovo's status.
A16 Draft Iraq Resolution Ready The United States decided to submit its final proposal for a resolution on Iraq to the Security Council, after Secretary of State Colin L. Powell concluded the draft would receive the crucial support of France, Bush administration officials said.
The United States and Britain moved to slow the pace of the discussions after the three other permanent members remained adamant in their opposition to the American proposal for a resolution authorizing a unilateral military attack by the United States and any ally if Washington determined that Iraq had made even minor violations.
Having answered these questions, our Group felt unable to vote for the proposal for a resolution.
While the tide seemed to shift in favor of a French proposal for two resolutions -- one to set up the inspections and another to authorize military action if they fail -- American officials insisted forcefully on their single draft resolution.
Unlike the American document, the Arab League proposal also calls for resolution of the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians as essential to all these reforms in the Middle East.
"We did not manage to change the situation," said Nabil el-Araby, the secretary general of the Arab League, whose proposals for a resolution to the conflict have failed.
Parliament met for an extraordinary Saturday session the day after the invasion, and was recalled a week and a half later from its Easter break for examination of proposals from Argentina for resolution of the crisis, ferried to Britain by American Secretary of State Haig.
He has refrained from publicly criticizing the American proposal for a new resolution, though his government has indicated opposition.
