US struggles to convince on Iraq

Baghdad is still seeing defiant rallies backing Saddam

Haggling over a draft United Nations resolution on Iraq is set to go on over the United States' demands for a threat of force to ensure Saddam Hussein complies with weapons inspections.

On Saturday a US envoy held talks in Moscow, but there was no sign that he won Russian support for the American and Britain position.

US envoy Marc Grossman: "Satisfied" with Moscow talks

Speaking after the meeting, Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov said Moscow "still favours the quickest possible return of UN weapons inspectors to Iraq".

On Sunday, Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon is due in Moscow to meet President Vladimir Putin, with Iraq one of the topics on the agenda.

At least 150,000 people demonstrated in London on Saturday against military action on Iraq, with a similar protest taking place in Rome.

Veteran Labour MP Tony Benn told the crowds that it would be "wholly immoral" for the US and Britain to attack Iraq.

Timeframe

The US and British governments want unrestricted access to Iraq for weapons inspectors and the right to use force if it is denied by Saddam Hussein.

They also want a strict timeframe, with the Iraqi leader compelled to accept the UN resolution within seven days and open up all his sites within 30, after making a full declaration about his weapons programme.

In his weekly radio address on Saturday, President George W Bush kept up the pressure on Iraq.

He warned that Saddam Hussein must be disarmed, and he said that if the demands of the UN Security Council were not met, they would be enforced.

Moscow reluctance

US envoy Marc Grossman visited Moscow after earlier finding the French unwilling to back the Americans on the UN draft.

Mr Ivanov said Mr Grossman and UK Foreign Office political director Peter Ricketts argued for the resolution, and that "consultations are continuing with our experts, who are noting their proposals".

Ramadan won't accept "procedure that aims at harming Iraq"

Mr Grossman said he was satisfied with the consultations, and he had not sought agreement on the text of the draft resolution.

"I think it is fair to say everybody agreed there was a challenge to the United Nations, to the Security Council, and that all of us who are permanent members... want to see if we can solve it," he told reporters.

"I was very pleased to hear that."

Russia, France and China - as permanent members of the Security Council - have the right of veto over any resolution.

Iraqi defiance

Earlier, Iraq rejected the proposed resolution, which the United States and Britain want passed by the United Nations Security Council next week.

Iraqi Vice-President Taha Yassin Ramadan has said any move that harmed Baghdad would not be accepted.

Key demands

Acceptance of resolution within seven days

Declaration of arms programmes within 30 days

Access for inspectors to all sites

Armed guards to accompany inspectors

Use of military force for any non-compliance

"The stance from the inspectors has been decided and any additional procedure that aims at harming Iraq won't be accepted," he said.

Under the terms of the draft, if Iraq failed to comply with any aspect of the resolution's demands, "all necessary means" could be used against it - a diplomatic term for military force.

The US envoy also made little headway on Friday in Paris, where President Jacques Chirac said he continued to support a two-step approach. China is said to support this stance.

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Where key nations stand on Iraq

The draft is expected to undergo changes before being put to a vote and the most intense wrangling is likely to focus on the use of military force.

Inspections rethink

Diplomats have leaked details of the draft resolution.

The resolution would radically change the inspections process

The three-and-a-half page document opens with a statement that Iraq is already in "material breach" of UN Security Council resolutions and demands "full, final and complete destruction" of Iraq's weapons of mass destruction.

The proposed resolution radically changes the weapons inspections process, which was broken off four years ago amid accusations that Iraq was obstructing inspectors' work.

Before inspections began, Iraq would have to produce details of any nuclear, chemical, biological or ballistic arms programmes it might have.

Iraq would have to agree to let UN weapons inspectors roam freely in their search for weapons of mass destruction, even allowing them into government buildings and mosques.

The resolution would also take away the special status of eight presidential sites.