Blair's 'last push for peace'

Blair's 'last push for peace'

Blair wants a 'peaceful outcome'

Tony Blair is to launch "a last push for peace" in what could be the final stages in the campaign to persuade Iraq to disarm or face military action.

Senior officials in Washington and London have been preparing the ground for the UN security council to discuss another resolution on Iraq.

The Americans say they may present a draft resolution as early as Monday morning.

On Sunday morning, the UK prime minister spoke to President Putin of Russia to keep him posted on developments.

But Mr Blair faced further opposition to war at home and abroad.

It is the duty of all believers, to whichever religion they belong, to proclaim that we can never be happy pitted one against the other

The Pope, in a Vatican address

The Pope - who discussed the Iraq crisis with him during an audience on Saturday - issued a renewed warning against a war "which could unsettle the entire Middle East".

And International Development Secretary Clare Short again hinted that she might resign if military action was launched without UN backing.

"I have had my sleepless nights. I am determined to do what I can with the levers I have and to stand up for what's right, come what may for me," she said.

MPs debate

The Commons and Lords will debate the Iraqi crisis following an update from Mr Blair on Wednesday.

Opponents of war plan to demand a vote on the matter, predicting that they could get the backing of 150 MPs.

"I think we'll get quite a good vote and that will show that the House is completely divided," said Labour's anti-war backbencher Alice Mahon.

"It is unprecedented to send our servicemen and women into military action when we're not being invaded or threatened, with that kind of a division in the country."

The problems of winning the war are clear but the problems of winning the peace are going to be much more complex

John Major

Click here for full interview

Former Conservative prime minister John Major, who led the UK in the last Gulf war, backed Mr Blair's stance on Iraq and said he knew from personal experience that leading the country into war was a "lonely job".

But, speaking on the BBC's Breakfast With Frost programme, he said a conflict now would be different to that of 1991, particularly when it came to dealing with the consequences.

"The problems of winning the war are clear but the problems of winning the peace are going to be much more complex," he said.

He warned Saddam Hussein may try to "create Armageddon" as he retreated and that a war would create political instability and a huge humanitarian crisis in Iraq.

Diplomatic end game

A vote on any new draft resolution is not expected until mid-March, after the report by chief United Nations weapons inspector Hans Blix.

If we go to war it won't be because we want to, but we have to in order to disarm Saddam Hussein

Downing Street

Britain and the US will use the time to try to persuade more sceptical members of the Security Council to come on board.

A Downing Street statement said: "The resolution will set out in clear and simple terms that Iraq is in breach of 1441.

"Saddam Hussein will be challenged finally and fully to do what is required of him - that is full disarmament of his weapons of mass destruction.

"If we go to war it won't be because we want to, but we have to in order to disarm Saddam Hussein."