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US Fails To Sway World Public Opinion About War In Iraq
There has been a mixed response to US Secretary of State Colin Powell's presentation to the UN Security Council spelling out what he says is clear evidence Iraq is failing to disarm.
The UK's foreign secretary gave strong backing to the Washington line, but the other three key Council members - China, France and Russia, all said the inspectors should be given more time.
UN Secretary General Kofi Annan said the international community had sent a clear message to Iraq, and it should listen carefully.
But Baghdad rejected Mr Powell's allegations, saying the goal was to sell the idea of war against Iraq, and said it would issue a detailed response later on Thursday.
Also on Thursday, the UK Prime Minister, Tony Blair, is to hold talks with the UN's chief weapons inspector, Hans Blix, who is on his way back to Baghdad.
'Not an option'
Mr Powell warned a special session of the Security Council against any further delay in tackling what he called Iraq's chemical, biological and nuclear arms ambitions.
"Leaving Saddam Hussein in possession of weapons of mass destruction for a few more months or years is not an option," said Mr Powell
"This body places itself in danger of irrelevance if it allows Iraq to continue to defy its will without responding effectively and immediately," said Mr Powell. As Mr Powell presented his case to the UN, the Pentagon revealed that there are now more than 110,000 thousand US troops in the Gulf.
But the BBC's Justin Webb says Mr Powell is reported to be content to let the diplomatic process rest until Mr Blix reports back to the Security Council next week.
The Bush administration is claiming that some Council members expressed more support privately than they did in public, our correspondent says.
Delay warning
France, which has a veto in the Security Council, said that the work of the weapons inspectors had not yet run its course, and their numbers should be tripled if necessary
For now we must reinforce the inspection regime. The use of force can only be a final resort," French Foreign Minister Dominique de Villepin said.
In its first reaction to the presentation, Baghdad issued a blanket denial.
Adviser to President Saddam Hussein, Amer al-Saadi, said intercepts of alleged conversations between Iraqi officials cited by Mr Powell were "manufactured".
General al-Saadi dismissed other items contained in the US dossier, and said his government would issue a fuller rebuttal on Thursday.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/2731239.stm
UN Secretary General Kofi Annan said the international community had sent a clear message to Iraq, and it should listen carefully.
But Baghdad rejected Mr Powell's allegations, saying the goal was to sell the idea of war against Iraq, and said it would issue a detailed response later on Thursday.
Also on Thursday, the UK Prime Minister, Tony Blair, is to hold talks with the UN's chief weapons inspector, Hans Blix, who is on his way back to Baghdad.
'Not an option'
Mr Powell warned a special session of the Security Council against any further delay in tackling what he called Iraq's chemical, biological and nuclear arms ambitions.
"Leaving Saddam Hussein in possession of weapons of mass destruction for a few more months or years is not an option," said Mr Powell
"This body places itself in danger of irrelevance if it allows Iraq to continue to defy its will without responding effectively and immediately," said Mr Powell. As Mr Powell presented his case to the UN, the Pentagon revealed that there are now more than 110,000 thousand US troops in the Gulf.
But the BBC's Justin Webb says Mr Powell is reported to be content to let the diplomatic process rest until Mr Blix reports back to the Security Council next week.
The Bush administration is claiming that some Council members expressed more support privately than they did in public, our correspondent says.
Delay warning
France, which has a veto in the Security Council, said that the work of the weapons inspectors had not yet run its course, and their numbers should be tripled if necessary
For now we must reinforce the inspection regime. The use of force can only be a final resort," French Foreign Minister Dominique de Villepin said.
In its first reaction to the presentation, Baghdad issued a blanket denial.
Adviser to President Saddam Hussein, Amer al-Saadi, said intercepts of alleged conversations between Iraqi officials cited by Mr Powell were "manufactured".
General al-Saadi dismissed other items contained in the US dossier, and said his government would issue a fuller rebuttal on Thursday.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/2731239.stm
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Huh?
Fri, Feb 7, 2003 9:33PM
yes those resolutions
Fri, Feb 7, 2003 9:29PM
Dear UM
Fri, Feb 7, 2003 9:18PM
UN
Thu, Feb 6, 2003 11:28PM
hmm
Thu, Feb 6, 2003 7:15AM
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