US President George W Bush said this afternoon that UN action on a new resolution paving the way for war against Iraq would "determine whether or not it's going to be relevant" to future global crises.
"Is it going to be a body that means what it says? We certainly hope it does. But one way or the other, Saddam Hussein, for the sake of peace, and for the security of the American people, will be disarmed," he said.
Bush said the fresh resolution "spells out what the world has witnessed the last months .... The Iraqi regime is not disarming as required by last fall's unanimous vote of the Security Council.
"Saddam Hussein's refusal to comply with the demands of the civilized world is a threat to peace and it's a threat to stability," said President Bush.
Iraq's flouting of the resolution is "a threat to the security of our country. It's a threat to the security of peace-loving people everywhere," he said.
"We're going to work with the members of the Security Council in the days ahead to make it clear to Saddam that the demands of the world and the United Nations will be enforced."
AFP