U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell said President Bush would give Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein one last chance to avoid the “serious consequences” of non-compliance, called for in UN Security Council resolution 14-41.
COLIN POWELL, U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE
“In his speech, he clearly will issue an ultimatum to Saddam Hussein, that the only way to avoid the serious consequences that were built into 14-41 is for Saddam Hussein and his immediate cohorts to leave the country, and to allow this matter to be resolved through the peaceful entry of force and not a conflict.”
Earlier, Britain’s Ambassador to the United Nations, Jeremy Greenstock, announced the U.S., Britain and Spain had withdrawn a new resolution, because it did not have enough support and France had threatened to veto it. The measure would have authorized the use of force to disarm Iraq. JEREMY GREENSTOCK, BRITISH AMBASSADOR TO UN
“Given the situation, the co-sponsors have agreed that we will not pursue a vote on the draft U.K., U.S., Spanish resolution.” Later, UN Secretary General Kofi Annan said he had ordered weapons inspectors and all other UN employees to leave Iraq. Before that order, UN weapons inspectors in Iraq were continuing to search for banned weapons. After the order, inspectors could be seen returning to headquarters, to get ready to leave the country.
It was a similar scene at the German embassy in the Iraqi capital Monday. Many journalists were also preparing to leave, with the threat of U.S.-led military action against Iraq looming.
The moves come after the leaders of the U.S., Britain and Spain held a brief summit on Sunday. After that meeting they said they were giving UN diplomacy just one more day to work.