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Bush opens push for second U.N. Iraq resolutionPresident: 'Clear and simple' question for Security Council
CRAWFORD, Texas (CNN) -- President George W. Bush confirms that the United States, along with Britain, will present the U.N. Security Council with a new resolution on the Iraqi crisis early next week. Bush said Saturday the U.N. Security Council will be presented with a "clear and simple" resolution that asks members to address just one question: Is Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein complying with a November resolution demanding that Iraq disarm itself of weapons of mass destruction? "[Resolution 1441] did not ask for hints of progress or minor concessions. It demanded full and immediate disarmament," Bush said at a news conference after meeting at his ranch in Texas with Jose Maria Aznar, Spain's prime minister. "That, and that alone, is the issue before the council." Asked by a reporter whether the new resolution would be the last chance for the Security Council to prove its relevance, Bush responded, simply, "Yes." "And I believe the Security Council will show its relevance because Saddam Hussein has not disarmed," he said. Saturday's remarks were the first time Bush himself has confirmed that the United States, along with Britain, would push for a new resolution on the Iraq crisis, prior to any military action. U.S. officials had disclosed that decision earlier in the week. Bush said the new measure will be introduced to the Security Council early next week. The council is expected to vote on the resolution after the next report from Hans Blix, the chief U.N. weapons inspector, on March 7. Blix has ordered Baghdad to begin destroying its Al Samoud 2 missiles by March 1, as they exceed permitted range limits. Iraq has given no official response to that demand.(Full story) Allied leaders discuss resolution wordingThe president and Aznar spoke by phone Saturday with British Prime Minister Tony Blair and Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi to discuss the wording of the resolution. Britain, Spain and Italy have been the strongest backers of the U.S. position, putting them at odds with France and Germany, both main allies. (More details) As the wording of the resolution was being finalized, the Bush administration also stepped up diplomatic efforts to get the votes needed for the resolution to pass in the Security Council. In order to receive approval, any new resolution would have to secure nine of the 15 votes on the Security Council. In addition, a 'no' vote from any of the five permanent members would kill the measure because they have veto power, and three of those members -- France, Russia and China -- have said they oppose military action. U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell will arrive in China on Sunday for talks on both Iraq and North Korea. He spent Saturday in Tokyo, Japan, where he held talks with Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi and Foreign Minister Yoriko Kawaguchi. After the talks, he said time was "drawing to a close" for the U.N. Security Council to show its relevance in dealing firmly with Iraq. Backing up the words of Bush, Powell said a new resolution will be "simple" and "directly to the point." (Full story) So far, the only Security Council members to voice support for any U.S.-British resolution are Spain and Bulgaria, leaving the United States five votes short even if France, Russia and China abstain. U.S. officials said they are looking to Aznar to help lead the diplomatic effort to get the resolution through the Security Council, particularly with Chile and Mexico, which have rotating seats on the 15-member council. Bush called the presidents of those two countries Saturday and "emphasized how the Security Council needs to be strong in order to disarm Saddam Hussein," White House spokesman Ari Fleischer said Saturday evening. Before arriving in Crawford, Aznar traveled to Mexico to meet with President Vicente Fox but received no commitment to support the U.S. line. However, the Spanish leader echoed Bush's comments that it is too early to tell whether the resolution can get through the council. (Full story) "It's difficult to ask for an agreement on something that doesn't exist yet," he said. Also on the Security Council are Angola, Cameroon, Germany, Guinea, Pakistan and Syria. Fischer: War could strengthen terroristsIn Berlin, German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer warned a meeting of his Green Party that a war to disarm Iraq could strengthen the hand of "international terrorism" and cause Middle East turmoil that could also threaten Europe. He also called on Saddam to cooperate fully with U.N. arms inspectors. Fischer said Germany remained opposed to a war while the inspectors were making progress toward disarming Iraq. "The central question is: 'Will international terrorism be weakened or unintentionally strengthened through a military strike?'," Fischer said. (Full story) Meanwhile, Former Russian Prime Minister Yevgeny Primakov arrived in Baghdad on an unexpected mission for President Vladimir Putin, a Russian source in Baghdad told Reuters Sunday. (Full story) The Associated Press & Reuters contributed to this report.
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