Posted on 02/26/2003 7:45:36 AM PST by anatolfz
US says doubts Russia, China vetoes on Iraq
MOSCOW/LONDON - The United States said on Wednesday it doubted either Russia or China would veto a new U.N. Security Council resolution designed to pave the way for war on Iraq.
The comments, made by a senior U.S. administration official speaking on condition of anonymity, seemed to improve prospects for the resolution, although questions remained over the nine council votes it needs to pass and a possible French veto.
Washington's main supporter, British Prime Minister Tony Blair, faced potentially the biggest revolt yet within his ruling Labour Party in a parliamentary vote on his stance on Iraq expected later on Wednesday.
Blair is hoping to head off the rebellion by presenting a motion which does not mention the possibility of war but asks instead for backing for the U.N. route to disarmament of Iraq.
He is betting that political and public opinion will rally round if a second resolution is passed by the 15-member Security Council, of which only four so far have pledged to vote for it.
The resolution circulated at the United Nations this week by the United States, Britain and Spain says Baghdad has missed a "final opportunity" to disarm peacefully.
Washington and London have made clear they would like it passed in mid-March. Blair told the British parliament he thought the resolution would gain the required support.
Iraqi Vice President Taha Yassin Ramadan told Russian newspaper Vremya Novostei that countries which supported America in any future war would be legitimate targets for retaliation. Asked whether Iraq could strike Kuwait or Turkey, he said:
"War is war. If aggression is shown against Iraq, it can of course use any means to defend itself. I want to say only that whoever helps the Americans will be seen as their accomplice."
But White House spokesman Ari Fleischer said on Tuesday that if there was a war, "people who are in charge of fighting the war to kill United States troops cannot assume that they will be safe...of course including (President) Saddam Hussein".
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