13 March 2003
Bush Pursuing "Diplomacy to Its Fullest" on Iraq Vote
(Bush continues phone consultations with world leaders) (713) By Wendy S. Ross Washington File White House Correspondent Washington -- The Bush administration indicated March 13 that it is willing to give diplomacy on Iraq a few more days and that it is discussing all options on ways to gain support for the Iraq resolution pending before the U.N. Security Council. White House Press Secretary Ari Fleischer told reporters "there is the possibility of a vote coming to a conclusion tomorrow (March 14), or it could continue into next week. ... Nothing has been set in stone." "I cannot predict for you every shape and turn of the road on the way to that end," Fleischer said, "but this end is coming into sight, and that's why you're seeing some levels of flexibility and discussion of options." The resolution, cosponsored by the United States, the United Kingdom and Spain, sets March 17 as the deadline for Iraq to prove it has rid itself of weapons of mass destruction or face the possibility of military action. "(W)hat you're seeing is the president of the United States pursue diplomacy to its fullest," Fleischer told reporters. "This president would very much like to have this matter settled through peace and diplomacy, and he is taking every step that he can think is helpful and wise" toward that end, in consultation with U.S. allies. "[A]s it gets down to the very last stages of diplomacy, there are different ideas" and "different routes" to the same goal -- the disarmament of Iraq, the press secretary said. "And that's what you're seeing. You're seeing that on the question of the substance of the resolution, on the deadline," he said. "But one thing is not in doubt," he said: President Bush's determination that Saddam Hussein will be disarmed. Fleischer said that if the Security Council does not take strong action against Iraq, "the United States and the coalition of the willing will proceed to disarm Saddam Hussein." And Secretary of State Colin Powell, testifying at a U.S. House Appropriations subcommittee March 13, said, "We are still talking to the members of the council to see what is possible with respect to coalescing around a position that wouldn't draw a veto. But the option remains to go for ... a vote and see what members say; or not go for a vote. ... [A]ll the options that you can imagine are before us, and we'll be examining them today, tomorrow, and into the weekend." The United Kingdom late March 12 proposed changes to the U.S.-U.K.-Spanish resolution, in an attempt to gain more council support. Those changes would set six conditions that Baghdad must meet in order to prove it is giving up banned weapons. But permanent council members France and Russia immediately dismissed the proposed changes. When asked about France's rejection of the changes, Fleischer said its statement that it "will veto any resolution, any amendment to the resolution that is pending" rejects the logic of ultimatums. "If you reject the logic of ultimatum," he said, "you're saying Iraq has forever to disarm. And that is not a position that will lead to the disarmament of Saddam Hussein; that'll be a position that allows him to continue to arm up." Fleischer noted that President Bush on March 13, for the fourth straight day, continued to phone world leaders in an effort to secure passage of the Iraq resolution. To pass, the measure needs nine votes with no negative votes from permanent members. It faces opposition from at least five Security Council members, including France and Russia, two permanent council members with veto power. Fleischer said the ongoing process of diplomacy within the United Nations is not the only diplomacy the United States is busy conducting. "You should always assume that, outside the United Nations process, the United States is working with a coalition of the willing; that's a given," he said. Among the leaders Bush spoke with March 13 were President Roh Moo-hyun of South Korea, who told him South Korea "will vigorously support United States efforts on Iraq," Fleischer said. Bush also spoke with Bulgaria's Prime Minister Simeon Saxe-Coburg-Gotha and Britain's Prime Minister Tony Blair. (The Washington File is a product of the Office of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)
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