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http://www.dawn.com/2002/09/27/int1.htm Dawn (Pakistan) September 27, 2002 -"We favour a rapid resolution of the situation by political and diplomatic means, on the basis of existing UN Security Council regulations and in line with the principles of international law." Putin pours cold water on US efforts; Iraq resolution BAGHDAD, Sept 26 (AFP): Moscow on Thursday poured cold water on Washington's efforts to win official UN backing for making war on Baghdad as President Vladimir Putin appeared to rule out backing a US bid for a tough new resolution on Iraq, saying the crisis should be resolved as soon as possible through political means on the basis of existing UN resolutions. "We favour a rapid resolution of the situation by political and diplomatic means, on the basis of existing UN Security Council regulations and in line with the principles of international law," he said in Moscow. "The decision to recommence the activities of UN inspectors in Iraq opens up the possibility for this decision to be put into action rapidly and allows the concerns of the international community to be allayed," said Putin. China, which like fellow permanent member Russia has the right of veto in the Security Council, reiterated on Thursday that the priority in dealing with the Iraq issue was to return weapons inspectors to the country as soon as possible. "The imperative to solving this question is to readmit the UN weapons inspectors back to Iraq as soon as possible so they can carry out their work and have on-site investigation to find the facts," foreign ministry spokeswoman Zhang Qiyue said. She was responding to a question about China's reaction to a British dossier released Tuesday in which Prime Minister Tony Blair alleged Iraq may be only a year or two away from possessing a nuclear bomb and has "military plans" for the use of chemical and biological arms. As for Iraq, any new UN resolution would constitute a "flagrant violation" of a deal with Secretary General Kofi Annan under which Iraq accepted the return of inspectors and Annan promised to "remove the specter of a (US-led) military aggression" against Baghdad, the influential daily Babel wrote. US officials said Wednesday that Washington was struggling in both its internal and international debate to formulate the proposed resolution. France, another UN Security Council permanent member, wants two resolutions, one that would empower weapons inspectors to do their job and a second, if needed, to later authorize use of force. US officials have said they would prefer one resolution that lays out Iraq's failure to comply with previous mandates, identify what it must do to satisfy them and spell out in detail the consequences of non-compliance, possibly including the use of force. As the multilateral haggling carried on, Baghdad was preparing to take its case to Turkey, which opposes a strike on Iraq. Deputy Prime Minister Tariq Aziz will visit Ankara next week to deliver a message from Iraqi President Saddam Hussein to President Ahmet Necdet Sezer, a senior Turkish official said. Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak called on Iraq to implement UN resolutions on disarmament so as to deprive Washington of a pretext for attack. Back in Washington, the administration was working to substantiate its claim that Saddam's regime has links with Osama bin Laden's Al-Qaeda network. National security adviser Condoleezza Rice said late Wednesday that Washington had information Iraq had helped train members of Al-Qaeda in chemical weapons development and given refuge to some of the network's operatives. She said the US government did not contend that Saddam was behind the September 11, 2001 terror attacks blamed on Al-Qaeda. But she said the secret ties between Baghdad and Osama bin Laden's network were "a story that is unfolding, and it is getting clear, and we're learning more." CONGRESS: The US president said on Thursday he was close to agreement with Congress on a "strong resolution" on using force against Iraq. Following talks with the leaders of both parties in Congress, Bush said: "We are moving toward a strong resolution." He insisted that the administration and Congress was "united in our determination to confront an urgent threat to America." Bush added: We're making progress. We're near an agreement. And soon we will speak with one voice." The administration sent a draft resolution to Congress last week seeking authorization to use "all means" to make Iraqi President Saddam Hussein keep international commitments to disarm. The US president wants a resolution passed before Congress adjourns ahead of mid-term elections on Nov 5. But the timing of a vote is still unsure. In the Senate, lawmakers have been mired in a four-week debate over the creation of a new department of homeland security to cope with the post-September 11 terrorist threat and there was little sign of progress Thursday. "I would consider setting aside (the discussion on) homeland security to entertain debate on the Iraq resolution," Senate Majority Leader Daschle told reporters, opening the door for a possible vote on Iraq in early October.-AFP __________________________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? 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