Stewart Stogel
Monday, March 10, 2003

"The question is what will eventually be decided next week?" said Akram in an interview with NewsMax, referring to an "amendment" to the joint U.S.-British draft resolution, which would give Iraq until March 17 to meet all the demands of U.N. arms inspectors -- or face war.

In an address to the Council, Iraq's U.N. ambassador Mohammed Aldouri called the deadline "ludicrous."

Three Council members: Russia, France and Germany are against any authorization for the use of force at the current time. Russia and France, as permanent members, can veto any proposed Council action.

"What does this mean? What does the U.S. really want from us?" exclaimed Aldouri, who insisted the last minute maneuvering by Washington and London will fail.

"They [the U.S. and U.K.] will not get approval for their resolution. They will not even get nine votes." Aldouri was referring to the fact that any Council resolution must receive 9 yes votes and no vetoes.

The Iraqi diplomat believes that Washington might be able to pressure two Latin American Council members, Chile and Mexico, to vote yes. Aldouri also insisted that the African members (Guinea, Cameroon, Angola) and Pakistan will not accept the joint resolution, with or without "amendments."

Dominique de Villepin, French foreign minister, who is leading the charge against the joint resolution, intends to up the pressure by traveling to Africa this weekend. De Villepin will meet the leaders of Angola, Cameroon and Guinea whose Council votes can make or break the joint resolution.

'Suicide'

"For Pakistan to vote yes would be suicide. The people would overthrow the government," said Aldouri.

While Baghdad is watching the U.N. actions closely, Iraq's point man admitted his government is already looking beyond the Security Council. Aldouri says that war with the U.S., which he claims has already begun, will boil down to a fight for control of Baghdad -- a fight he insists the Bush administration will lose.

The Iraqi ambassador proclaimed that the fight to control Iraq's capital city "will be bloody and not be like the Gulf War. We will fight with all we have and that includes all the people, including women and children. It will be very bloody for the Americans. They will not succeed. I have no doubt."

While Aldouri did not say weapons of mass destruction would be used to fight off the Americans, he did say Baghdad will use "everything we have."

Meanwhile Secretary of State Colin Powell and British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw made the diplomatic rounds in New York City on Thursday and Friday.

Hope

In a U.N. news conference on Thursday, Straw held out hope for a last minute compromise with the French, Russians and Germans. He reminded reporters that the first Iraq resolution, 1441, also had an uphill fight, but eventually was approved unanimously.

Curiously, senior Egyptian diplomats, Foreign Minister Ahmed Maher and Arab League Secretary-General Amre Moussa, both ignored the Bush press conference as they relaxed in a U.N. lounge after a meeting with Kofi Annan on the Gulf crisis.

Meanwhile Iraq's Aldouri says he can feel "the noose" closing, especially around the personnel in his U.N. mission. "Little by little my people are being asked to defect, if they don't they are expelled [by Washington]."

Two security guards at Iraq's U.N. mission were ordered to leave the country by Washington this week. The ambassador also revealed that he has instructed all the personnel in his office to prepare to leave New York City. "I believe the (expulsion) orders will come and we must be prepared."

Aldouri also revealed that senior Iraqi officials are "afraid to come to New York City" to make their case directly before the U.N. "We are in a war, no Iraqi is safe here," he lamented.

Read more on this subject in related Hot Topics:

Saddam Hussein/Iraq

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