Powell in talks on U.N. resolution

Most world leaders were relieved Bush was seeking U.N. approval for action against Iraq

UNITED NATIONS -- U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell is launching talks with key world leaders to see if they can put together a U.N. resolution that calls on Iraq to submit to weapons inspections or risk grave consequences.

Britain is backing the U.S. in its hard-line approach to Iraq's Saddam Hussein and will play its full part in helping to draft the resolution, CNN's Robin Oakley said.

The three other permanent members of the U.N. Security Council, Russia, China and France, have the power to veto and bring down the resolution -- and all have expressed reservations about military action.

The resolution is not expected to be drafted for about a week, after ministers return home from the annual opening of the U.N. General Assembly.

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Former U.S. ambassador to the U.N. Richard Holbrooke told CNN that Russia was the key.

"If Russia goes along, the U.S. can get this resolution but if Russia say no, we won't get it."

Commenting on the speech to the U.N. by U.S. President George W. Bush, the Russian Foreign Ministry said on Friday that it agreed with the U.S. leader that a "decisive, joint fight with terrorism" was needed but added the possibility for a political solution was "not exhausted."

"There is a real potential for achieving a solution by political means," said Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman Boris Malakhov.

CNN's Moscow bureau chief Jill Dougherty said the comments closely reflected previous Russian statements on Iraq.

Diplomats in China told Reuters that Beijing did not expect Moscow, which has allied itself to the war on terror, to block a resolution.

But they added China would not use its veto alone as it is anxious to keep ties with the United States, its key economic partner, on track before a Communist Party leadership change.

World leaders were generally welcoming to Bush's offer to seek U.N. approval before moving to oust Saddam from power -- relieved that the U.S. was not taking immediate military action against Iraq.

In deciding to try to put together a new U.N. resolution on Iraq -- there have been 16 since the Persian Gulf war of 1990-91 calling for weapons inspection and disarmament -- Bush took a step in the direction of U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan and other world leaders opposed to unilateral action.

Both Bush and British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw spoke of resolutions in the plural, suggesting that proposals by French President Jacques Chirac may prevail.

France wants to give Iraq three weeks to accept the weapons inspectors without conditions. A second resolution would follow to approve the use of force.

France did not rule out joining a military attack on Iraq as long as it took place under U.N. authority, Defence Minister Michele Alliot-Marie said on Friday.

"Nothing is ruled out," she said on Europe 1 radio. "As we have shown in Afghanistan, our armies have the human and technological capability necessary to play a role. If we choose to take part, we will not go unnoticed."

Asked about her reaction to Bush's speech, she said: "France has made clear that it will not join anything that takes place outside the Security Council.

"We will examine the situation ... and act according to what the Security Council has decided and to our own analysis of the situation."

Powell was on Friday meeting all 15 members of the U.N. Security Council, which deals with international peace and security issues.

He had a luncheon scheduled with the foreign ministers of Russia, France, Britain and China, and a separate session with the other members of the Council.

Also, the U.S. Secretary of State was to meet separately with Foreign Minister Tang Jiaxuan of China and, briefly, with French Foreign Minister Dominique de Villepan.

Saddam's fate was in his own hands, British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw said.

"Above all, what President Bush was saying is that the U.N., the international community, has to give Saddam Hussein a clear choice - which is compliance with the resolutions, an end to weapons of mass destruction or the enforcement of the will of the international community by other means."

Straw compared the current discussions in the Security Council with the "staged approach" after Iraq invaded Kuwait in August 1990 that led to the Gulf War five months later.

The council immediately imposed stringent sanctions, and in November 1990 adopted a resolution authorising the use of "all necessary measures" to expel Iraqi troops from Kuwait if they did not leave by January 15, 1991. The vote then was 12-2, with China casting an abstention.

A council resolution must have nine votes in favour and no veto from any of its five permanent members -- the U.S. Britain, France, Russia and China. The other 10 rotating council members are at the moment: Bulgaria, Cameroon, Colombia, Guinea, Ireland, Mauritius, Mexico, Norway, Singapore and Syria.

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