Regards, Ivan
Posted on 01/28/2003 3:14:44 PM PST by MadIvan
TONY BLAIR and President Bush launched a final diplomatic offensive yesterday to rally international support for war on Iraq.
As world opinion against Baghdad began to harden, the two leaders used Monday’s damning UN report on Iraq’s failure to disarm to build a coalition for military action.
Mr Bush also sought to reverse a recent decline in domestic support for military action. As he prepared to deliver his State of the Union address last night, he spoke of his “deep desire for peace”, but added that he was ready to “rally the American people to some great causes and remind them that we’ll accomplish those causes together”.
Russia noticeably softened its opposition to the use of force when President Putin said that his country might change its position if Baghdad hampered the inspectors. “We are ready to work toward different solutions. I am not saying which, but they could be more tough than before,” he said.
In a sign of growing Arab frustration, Egypt’s President Mubarak also warned Baghdad that “the strike is coming” unless President Saddam Hussein co-operated fully with UN weapons inspectors.
Britain cited the Blix report to declare that Iraq was in “material breach” of its UN obligations, putting it firmly alongside America in justifying war.
Mr Blair and Mr Bush then launched an intense round of personal diplomacy to bring other countries on board and leave opponents like France and Germany isolated.
The Prime Minister spoke to his Australian, Turkish and Greek counterparts and then later to President Chirac, one of the key players in the manoeuvring towards a second UN resolution authorising war with Iraq.
Silvio Berlusconi of Italy will have talks with Mr Blair at Downing Street tonight and Mr Blair will spend several hours with the Spanish Prime Minister José María Aznar in Madrid tomorrow before heading to America for his Camp David meeting with Mr Bush on Friday.
Mr Bush spoke to Señor Aznar on Monday, and to Jan Peter Balkenende, the Dutch Prime Minister yesterday. The White House spokesman Ari Fleischer said: “The consulting process is a serious business. Reaching out to the Europeans is a serious business.”
Signor Berlusconi and Señor Aznar have so far been the most robust supporters of the British-American position.
At their Camp David meeting on Friday, Mr Blair and Mr Bush will plot tactics, deciding whether to capitalise on Dr Blix’s report and table a fresh resolution before the Security Council next week which sets Iraq an ultimatum, or hold off until he reports to the UN again on February 14.
White House officials opened the door to a new resolution, saying yesterday that it was “desirable, but not mandatory”. British diplomats believe that in the end M Chirac will come on side, particularly if as many other European countries as possible can be persuaded that a second resolution is necessary.
Mr Blair will have further talks with M Chirac next Tuesday at a reconvened Anglo-French summit in Le Touquet. Downing Street said that the pace of diplomacy would be stepped up even further in the days ahead.
Regards, Ivan
Regards, Ivan
I've thought for a long time that Putin is playing Colin Powell to the UN Security Council. His original alignment with "Old Europe", and now softening of that stance should help convince some others that the evidence must be rather damning if even Russia has changed their mind.
I think the've been on board all along.
Weasels never win ... c(;^p
"You're either with us or you're against us."
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