Straw hints at new Iraq deadline

Straw hints at new Iraq deadline

Saddam has not complied with UN demands, says the UK and US

Iraq could be offered a fresh deadline to disarm in a re-worked United Nations resolution, the UK foreign secretary has suggested.

Jack Straw said the UK was ready to amend the draft UN resolution tabled with the United States and Spain - but he told BBC News that any more time given to Iraq would be "days and not months".

He said: "It makes a difference, of course, if by an extra process, going the extra mile in terms of negotiation with our partners, we can achieve an international consensus."

The foreign secretary was speaking on his way from London to UN headquarters in New York where the Security Council will hear on Friday about progress on Iraqi disarmament.

Mr Straw later insisted at a news conference that, despite the prospect of fine-tuning the new resolution, there was no doubt Saddam Hussein was failing to comply with international demands.

The latest diplomatic manoeuvring has also seen UK Prime Minister Tony Blair saying he would be prepared to go to war even if more than one country vetoed the second UN resolution.

Signal to Saddam

Mr Straw said any new wording might involve a deadline, but that would depend on the negotiations.

The UK was attached to the principle set out in the draft resolution and to the "inevitable conclusion that Iraq has missed its final opportunity", he said.

But it had always made clear it was "ready to discuss the wording and to take on board any constructive suggestions".

At the news conference in New York, Mr Straw said Saddam Hussein had concealed, denied, delayed and made the minimum of concessions.

"He must be close to concluding that the international community is going to let him succeed," he added.

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Where key nations stand on Iraq

Earlier on Thursday Mr Blair was questioned on the crisis by young people from 24 different countries in an MTV debate to be broadcast on Friday.

The prime minister again voiced his confidence that the UN would pass a second resolution.

The prime minister wasn't signalling any change in his belief that the second UN resolution is going to be upheld

Downing Street spokesman

He has already said he would be willing take action if one country imposed an "unreasonable veto" in the Security Council.

But asked on Thursday if he would go to war without a new resolution, he replied: "If there was a veto applied by one of the countries with a veto or by countries that I thought were applying the veto unreasonably, then in those circumstances I would."

Later, his official spokesman said nothing had changed.

He added: "The prime minister wasn't signalling any change in his belief that the second UN resolution is going to be upheld."

Last window

Mr Blair said war could be avoided if the Iraq fully complied with the UN or if Saddam Hussein left the country.

Iraq on Thursday claimed three civilians had been killed by US/ UK air strikes in a "no-fly" zone.

Earlier, the US military said warplanes had attacked a surface-to-air missile system and an anti-aircraft artillery battery.

HOW THEY MIGHT VOTE

Several security council members want inspectors to be given more time

Country-by-country voting intentions

The possible changes to the draft new resolution are seen as an attempt to find a way of uniting a divided Security Council that has so far shown no inclination to support military action against Iraq.

France, Germany and Russia have said they will not allow the UN to pass a new US-sponsored resolution authorising war against Iraq.

Instead they want the UN weapons inspectors in Iraq to be given more time.

A resolution could be blocked by veto or by ensuring it fails to get the required nine "yes" votes of the 15 Security Council members.

A number of Security Council members - including Mexico, Pakistan and Chile - have indicated they would be unwilling to back a resolution calling for an immediate attack on Iraq.