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Saddam would consider resolutionU.S. officials discuss tough language
BAGHDAD (CNN) -- Iraqi President Saddam Hussein said Monday that Iraq would consider a new U.N. resolution for the return of weapons inspectors, but only if it respects Iraq's sovereignty, security and independence. State-run Iraqi Television quoted Saddam as saying: "If a resolution is issued which respects the U.N. charter, international law, and the sovereignty, security and independence of Iraq and does not give a cover for America's ill intentions, we will consider it within the perspective that might make us deal with it." He added that Iraq could take that stance despite its view that there is no need for a new Security Council resolution. The remark, made in a meeting with far-right Austrian politician Joerg Haider, appeared to be the first time Iraq has said directly it would consider a new resolution. But the conditions listed by the Iraqi president were a reiteration of Iraq's stand on the new inspections regime. Iraq argues that a new resolution proposed by the United States contravenes U.N. law by negating a previous agreement reached with U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan governing palace inspections. It also says some of the elements of the proposed resolution -- such as imposing no-drive and no-fly zones and unlimited access at any time to the presidential palaces -- contravene Iraq's sovereignty and security. Diplomats say they believe the Iraqi leadership understands it has no choice but to accept whatever resolution is hammered out at the Security Council. Iraq is counting on permanent members France and Russia to moderate the U.S. draft resolution. U.S. official: 'It is make-or-break time'President Bush's top national security advisers met Monday afternoon at the White House to decide whether compromise language for the draft resolution is tough enough to be presented to the U.N. Security Council this week, a senior administration official told CNN. "We are trying to sum up where we are and where to go," the official said. "Have we come close enough or not?" Since Bush's September 12 speech to the United Nations on the need for action against Iraq, his administration has been negotiating with members of the Security Council -- particularly the four other permanent members -- on a tough resolution sending inspectors back to Iraq. "After eight weeks it is make-or-break time," the official said. The United States continues to push for a resolution that would call for Iraq to face serious consequences if it does not disarm. It wants the resolution to specify that Iraq is in "material breach" of its obligations to disarm under previous U.N. resolutions and would be "in further material breach" if Iraq leader Saddam Hussein did not comply in the future. The phrase "in further material breach" has been the main sticking point. France, Russia and some Security Council members fear it could act as a hidden trigger, interpreted by the United States as authorizing military force without further U.N. action. The official said that while the United States, France and Russia are closing the gap on the language of the resolution, differences within the Bush administration remain on whether the resolution is tough enough. The senior official said that "implicit in the language" of the U.S. draft is that the Bush administration would agree to hold off action against Iraq until a further meeting of the Security Council, but it would not wait for a second resolution. State Department spokesman Richard Boucher said Monday the United States had consulted with its Security Council partners and would be presenting its revised text shortly. Administration officials told CNN the United States plans to introduce the text to council members Wednesday. France has also threatened to introduce its own resolution, which could force the U.S. delegation to compete for votes.
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