End of the road nearing for
UN diplomacy on Iraq

With the US, Spain and Britain heading for an emergency summit on Sunday, diplomatic efforts to resolve the Iraqi disarmament issue entered its last mile with little possibility of any compromise or consensus emerging, diplomats and officials at the United Nations said.

With all eyes set on the outcome of the emergency summit in Portugal's Azores islands, there was little activity at the world body on Friday and no formal consultations among the Security Council members on Iraq.

The top Bush administration officials say the summit would explore all possibilities which diplomats interpret as meaning that it would also consider taking military action without moving a second resolution in the UN Security Council.

Diplomats and officials are now openly discussing the possibility of the United States and allies taking military action, claiming authority to use force under the previous 1441

resolution.

With top advisers of Bush warning that rejection of the second resolution could be seen by the adversaries as taking away the legal authority to wage war available under 1441, diplomats are veering round to the view that there would be no vote on the second resolution and Washington would withdraw the resolution ahead of the military action.

With more than 260,000 troops ready to strike, all equipment in place and summer fast approaching, the United States cannot wait for long for action without affecting the morale of its military, diplomats said. It has to take a decision one way or the other within the next few days.