BRITAIN and the United States expect to win overwhelming backing for a tough new UN resolution on Iraq after effectively promising France yesterday that they would not attack unless Baghdad blocks renewed weapons inspections.

Diplomats said that the three powers were on the brink of a deal last night on the wording of a UN Security Council resolution that would warn of “serious consequences” but not provide clear legal authority for military action unless Iraq again balks at UN demands. The compromise is expected to be endorsed by at least 12 of the 15 Security Council members in a vote after next Tuesday’s US Congressional elections, with Russia and China likely to abstain and Syria voting against.

“I think the final outcome will be a good one,” Jack Straw, the Foreign Secretary, told BBC radio.

In a tortuous seven weeks of negotiations, Britain and the United States have insisted on a single UN resolution spelling out tough terms for resumed weapons inspections and providing up-front legal authority for military action.

France, with broad support from other Security Council members, has argued for a two-resolution approach that would postpone any authorisation for the use of force to a second council vote.

Although focused on Iraq, the diplomatic battle has become an epic struggle over whether the world’s sole remaining superpower can act alone in the post-September 11 world or whether it needs the approval of the UN.

Britain and the United States offered France a “1½-step” approach in which they would guarantee to hold a Security Council meeting before any attack in the event of Iraqi obstruction, but not commit themselves to be bound by a second vote.

Colin Powell, the US Secretary of State, promised this week that Washington would return to the UN before going to war. France remained suspicious, however, of a provision in the US-British proposal declaring Iraq in “material breach” of the Gulf War ceasefire, wording that would allow an immediate resumption of the war. French diplomats describe the term as a “hidden trigger”.

The apparent breakthrough came when Britain and the US agreed that Iraq would no longer be in “material breach” of the ceasefire as long as it was co-operating with UN demands for a resumption of weapons inspections. Iraq will fall back into “material breach” only if and when it blocks inspectors again.

• B2s for England: America will deploy B2 Stealth bombers closer to the Gulf region to increase the US firepower there, a commander said at a US Air Force base in Missouri. The USAF B2 Bomber Wing is training for the deployment to the British Indian Ocean island of Diego Garcia and an airbase at Fairford, Gloucestershire, he said. (AFP)

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