New British proposals could push any decision on a resolution for war with Iraq beyond tomorrow's date for a UN vote sought by the United States, Security Council diplomats said early this morning.
After a chaotic day of diplomatic negotiations, Britain, with only provisional backing from the United States, circulated six tests to Security Council members that Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein had to fulfill to avoid war.
Should undecided nations agree to the proposals, British Ambassador Sir Jeremy Greenstock was reported to have told council members his country would not hold them to a Friday vote, according to participants in the meeting.
Initially, the six undecided members - Chile, Pakistan, Mexico, Angola, Guinea and Cameroon - greeted the British proposals warmly, Mr Greenstock claimed.
But France and Russia, who have veto power, as well as Germany, viewed Britain's last-ditch effort to save the resolution with skepticism.
US Ambassador Mr John Negroponte said Washington was "commending" the British proposal to the Security Council but emphasised that the US-British-Spanish resolution that would give Saddam a March 17th ultimatum was the only formal resolution before the council.
But he said Washington could accept a "very, very modest extension" of the March 17th deadline. Diplomats said this could be March 21st, or possibly March 24th.
German Ambassador Mr Gunter Pleuger immediately asked why the proposal was presented only by Britain and not by the United States or Spain, saying members had to be certain all the resolutions' sponsors were behind it.
He said he found it positive the British were trying to bridge the gap. But he said: "You can only put down a number of benchmarks if they can be fulfilled," adding that the March 17th deadline or even a few days was not long enough.