The British and American governments are prepared to extend the deadline for Iraq's compliance with UN disarmament demands from next Monday, March 17th to Friday March 21st, in an attempt to get the support of a majority of the 15 Security Council members, diplomatic sources at UN said last night.
The British government last night began closed-door consultation with other council members on a resolution it has sponsored with the US and Spain which says that Iraq will have failed to take a last chance to comply with UN demands if it does not take immediate steps to disarm fully by March 21st.
A separate statement has been attached to the resolution listing conditions for Iraq's disarmament, and the new proposal will be put to a vote by the full Security Council today or tomorrow.
France has threatened to veto any new resolution, and the US and Britain were struggling last night to get the nine votes necessary for it to pass, raising the prospect that it will be defeated.
In that case, diplomats said, a war with Iraq could come very quickly, with Washington and London setting the date to comply with a military rather than a diplomatic timetable.
Speech writers for US President George Bush have started to prepare an address to the nation warning Americans and the world of imminent war, White House officials said.
Mr Bush has been meeting daily with defence and military officials and calling international leaders. His appearance today to receive a bowl of shamrock from the Taoiseach, Mr Ahern at the White House will be his first public appearance since Saturday.
The conditions set for the Iraqi regime by the British after days of intensive consultations with wavering council membersincludes a television appearance by Saddam Hussein renouncing weapons of mass destruction.
As the pace of last-minute diplomacy quickened yesterday, UN Secretary General Kofi Annan scheduled separate meetings in the afternoon with British Ambassador Jeremy Greenstock and chief UN weapons inspector Hans Blix.
Spain said the resolution may be withdrawn because of the prospect of defeat.
"We are considering it, above all in view of the already absolute and emphatic affirmation by France of a veto," Spanish Foreign Minister Ana Palacio said.
However, White House spokes- man Mr Ari Fleischer reiterated Mr Bush's commitment to a vote.
Russian Ambassador Mr Sergey Lavrov reiterated that Moscow believes inspections are working and should not be interrupted.
"We would not be really in favour of considering some artificial dates if they are not coming from inspectors, or accepted by them," he said.
Four of the six undecided states, Pakistan, Angola, Cameroon, Guinea, Chile and Mexico, were said yesterday to be leaning towards a yes vote, which would give the resolution a total of eight, one short of the majority required on the 15-member council under UN rules.
Mr Bush spoke yesterday to Mexican President Vicente Fox and Chilean President Richardo Lagos, White House officials said. The Kremlin said he also spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The US has vowed to go to war with or without UN backing.