US: The United States and Britain may not press for a vote on their resolution at the UN Security Council next week authorising war if they feel that they will not get the necessary nine votes on the 15-member body.
White House spokesman Mr Ari Fleischer confirmed yesterday that the US was now thinking of taking the resolution off the table, if its lobbying of Security Council members falls through. He told reporters that "although a vote is desirable, it is not mandatory".
Voting on the resolution, which declares that Iraq has missed a final opportunity to disarm and must face "serious consequences" has tentatively been scheduled for next Thursday.
US Secretary of State Mr Colin Powell continued to anticipate a vote on the resolution yesterday. "At the start of next week we'll decide when, depending on what we have heard, we will vote on a resolution," he told German television. "No one knows how the vote will turn out until it is completed."
The rethink by the White House has been prompted by an unexpectedly tough anti-war stance by Russia. Foreign Minister Mr Igor Ivanov said yesterday: "Russia would not support any decision that would directly or indirectly lead to a war with Iraq."
"Russia is not indifferent to the future of Iraq," he said. "Russia will not abstain. It will take a particular position."
Mr Ivanov, who was meeting UK Foreign Minister Mr Jack Straw in London, appealed for UN weapons inspectors to be allowed to set their own deadline for verifying disarmament by President Saddam Hussein.
France and Germany, who argue that inspections are working and their duties should be extended into the summer, said yesterday their foreign ministers would attend a crucial session of the UN Security Council on Friday when chief weapons inspector Hans Blix delivers a progress report on disarmament.
Dr Blix will not ask for more time for inspections but will leave that up to the council, according to European MEPs who met him yesterday. He will detail considerable positive progress in recent days, including the destruction of Al-Samoud 2 missiles, he told the delegation.
The foreign ministers of Britain and Spain as well as Mr Powell are also expected to attend what the French UN ambassador Mr Jean-Marc de la Sabliere said would be an "important moment" in the Iraq crisis.
The report by Dr Blix would be the "beginning of an endgame" to quickly resolve the question of UN support for military action, US officials said.
In the split over Iraq, the US is backed publicly by only three other council members, Britain, Spain and Bulgaria. France, Russia and China are opposed but none have yet said they will use their veto power. Six nations serving two-year periods - Chile, Mexico, Pakistan, Angola, Guinea and Cameroon - have yet to declare their intentions.
Pakistan's UN ambassador emphasised that his country had a close relationship with the US, "but Pakistan is also an Islamic country. We have to take all factors into account in taking a decision on this matter."
A personal envoy of the Pope is to meet President Bush. Cardinal Pio Laghi will bring a personal message to Mr Bush in the White House asking for restraint.
The Pentagon meanwhile has issued deployment orders to the 1st Armoured Division in Germany, the 1st Cavalry Division in Texas and the 2nd Armoured Cavalry Regiment in Louisiana, bringing the number of ground forces in, or heading for, the Persian Gulf region to 235,000.
A Government spokesman declined to comment last night on Mr Ivanov's statement about possibly using the veto on the Security Council. On the issue of a second resolution, the spokesman said: "We want a second resolution and we want the arms inspectors given as much time as they feel is necessary. There is an important report coming from Dr Blix on Friday and let's see where we are on that."
The Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, has previously described a second resolution prior to military action in Iraq as "a political imperative".