The United Nations Security Council is meeting today to discuss a US-British-Spainish draft resolution that authorises force against Iraq.
But France, Germany and Russia are pushing proposals that would intensify UN arms inspections and continue them for at least four months. "
A vote is not expected for about two weeks, with Washington not yet having secured enough support for passage of the US-British-Spanish sponsored resolution.
Lobbying is intense around the world as well as in New York, with special focus on six undecided council members - Mexico, Chile, Pakistan, Angola, Cameroon and Guinea.
Adoption of a resolution in the 15-nation council needs a minimum of nine votes in favour and no veto from its five permanent members: the United States, Britain, France, Russia and China.
The United States is also focusing on Russia, where President Vladimir Putin values his country's relationship with Washington. Although there is only a remote chance Moscow would support the resolution, US officials want to make sure it does not use its veto to kill it.
Washington's strategy is to get the minimum nine votes needed to adopt the resolution and then dare any veto-bearing nation, such as Russia, China or France, to kill the resolution.