The United States has agreed with France and Russia on its draft resolution on Iraq to open the way for a UN Security Council vote later this afternoon.
The office of French President Jacques Chirac said this morning that he had agreed with Russian President Vladimir Putin that the latest US draft resolution on Iraq is "satisfactory".
The United States and co-sponsor Britain had to change two words in the draft to reassure France and Russia. The new wording requires UN weapons inspectors, rather than Security Council members, to make an assessment of any Iraqi violations.
Language in another key paragraph was also changed in response to Russian concerns.
Mr Putin and Mr Chirac agreed that "the text which will be put to the vote is today satisfactory. It is firm on Iraq and keeps open the chance of a peaceful solution," a spokesman for Chirac said.
The leaders agreed that "the use of force is only a last resort" and expressed the hope that the resolution will be adopted unanimously by the UN Security Council, he said.
Mr Putin's office and the foreign ministry earlier both declined to comment on how Russia will vote at the Council, and the Kremlin mentioned only "satisfactory" work with France on the draft measure. "Both sides expressed satisfaction at the constructive cooperation between Russia and France in the United Nations on this issue," it said in a statement.
The draft was hammered out in weeks of negotiations after objections, principally from Paris and Moscow, to a US push to make the use of force automatic if Baghdad does not comply with UN weapons inspectors.
The 15 members of the UN Security Council, including Ireland, will vote on the new draft at UN headquarters in New York this afternoon.
The revised text will be sent to Dublin for approval by the Government before the Irish vote is cast by Ambassador Mr Richard Ryan. The Irish mission also asked for some revisions in the text during debate yesterday.
US Ambassador Mr John Negroponte said there is "broad support" for the resolution, which threatens Iraq with "severe consequences" if it does not comply.
Syria had asked for voting to be delayed until after an Arab foreign ministers meeting in Cairo this weekend - and it asked the council again to reconsider the timing of the vote.