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作者：Anonymous 在 罕见奇谈 发贴, 来自 http://www.hjclub.org
Bush Open to Delaying U.N. Iraq War Vote
20 minutes ago
By BARRY SCHWEID, AP Diplomatic Writer
WASHINGTON - In a reversal, the White House said Thursday that President Bush (news - web sites) is open to briefly delaying a vote on his U.N. war resolution until next week if the postponement would help gain support for the measure. Secretary of State Colin Powell (news - web sites) said one option was to drop plans for a Security Council vote.
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Special Coverage
"We are still talking to members of the Council to see what is possible," Powell told a House Appropriations subcommittee. He said the options under consideration include "to go for a vote and not to go for a vote."
The administration had been pushing for a vote by Friday, but signaled a change early Thursday when White House spokesman Ari Fleischer (news - web sites) said, "It may conclude tomorrow. It may continue into next week."
Bush had been scheduled to go the Capitol on Thursday for the traditional St. Patrick's Day luncheon with lawmakers and dignitaries. But at the last minute, his motorcade already assembled and ready to ferry him up Pennsylvania Avenue, Bush canceled his appearance to remain in the Oval Office and continue telephone diplomacy.
It was not clear which world leaders he was calling, but spokesman Scott McClellan said the calls would reflect the high stakes, fast-changing developments in New York. Vice President Dick Cheney (news - web sites) was going to Capitol Hill in the president's place.
Powell was asked by lawmakers how the United States stood on the proposal Britain has offered the Security Council as a compromise. "Not all of us bought all the elements," Powell said. He called the proposal "a way to see if more nations can find a way forward."
Twice during his comments Powell noted that "a permanent member of the council" quickly objected to the British plan and then Iraq (news - web sites) did the same. Powell didn't name the country but an aide said it was a reference to France.
Bush called world leaders Thursday morning and met with Irish Prime Minister Bertie Ahern. Ireland has provided landing facilities for American military aircraft for 40 years, but Ahern is confronting strong anti-war sentiment there today, and Irish citizens have vandalized U.S. military planes.
Bush briefly planned a trip to meet with British Prime Minister Tony Blair (news - web sites), but it was scuttled when arrangements couldn't be completed, a senior U.S. official said.
Ahern told Bush that "if there is not a resolution, Ireland cannot engage in support of military action, because we work under the U.N. resolution." Ahern said he planned to consult with his Parliament after any Security Council vote.
Earlier, Ahern offered strong backing to Bush in a joint public appearance Thursday — Bush's first in a week. "For the United Nations (news - web sites) to be respected, it must be united in purpose as well as in name," Ahern said.
Bush thanked Ireland for its support last fall, as a Security Council member, for a resolution demanding the Iraq disarm.
"We appreciate Ireland's support for seeing the just demands of the world are enforced," Bush said. He offered no comments on the state of negotiations at the United Nations.
Secretary of State Colin Powell, testifying before a House Appropriations subcommittee, said, "The United States is not isolated on this issue."
Besides Ireland, he cited Britain, Australia, Bulgaria, Italy, Spain, Japan and eight eastern European countries and declared that for Iraq, "The day of reckoning is fast approaching."
Powell attributed the U.S. difficulty in getting the resolution approved to some members of the U.N. Security Council not understanding that "the U.S. was deadly serious" when it approved a resolution last November warning Iraq of serious consequences if it did not disarm.
However, Powell added, "We are still hopeful of a peaceful solution."
Bush's chief spokesman has said for days that the vote would be held this week. A senior White House official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the president decided a few extra days of diplomacy might help British Prime Minister Tony Blair, who is facing stiff domestic opposition to war while he tries to forge a compromise.
The U.S.-British backed resolution under consideration sets a Monday deadline for Iraq to disarm. Pushing back the deadline for a vote likely means that deadline would be delayed as well.
"The president is willing to go the extra mile for a diplomacy," Fleischer said. "There is a limit on how far he's willing to do."
He said Bush was still committed to staging a U.N. vote.
U.S. officials had said earlier that France is sending exactly the wrong message to Iraq's Saddam Hussein (news - web sites) by threatening to veto a United Nations resolution that would order him to disarm immediately or face war.
State Department spokesman Richard Boucher said Wednesday that the stand of French President Jacques Chirac is making it less likely Iraq can be disarmed peacefully and the White House suggested for the first time that voting against the resolution in the U.N. Security Council could damage a country's relationship with the United States.
France, along with Russia, has threatened to veto the resolution should it receive the nine Security Council votes necessary for approval.
作者：Anonymous 在 罕见奇谈 发贴, 来自 http://www.hjclub.org |
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