The Hindu : U.S., France step up lobbying

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Mar 10, 2003

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U.S., France step up lobbying

By Sridhar Krishnaswami

United Nations March 9. With a vote on the second, U.S.-backed United Nations Security Council Resolution — authorising the use of force against Iraq — expected to be moved anytime after Tuesday, the United States and France are stepping up the diplomatic battle trying to enlist support for their respective positions.

The U.S. President, George W. Bush, who generally spends the weekends at Camp David, stayed back at the White House to attend the Gridiron dinner — a journalist event — on Saturday evening. But the environment being what it is, Mr. Bush passed up the comedy routine for some very brief, serious remarks to the mediapersons and their guests. Referring to the nearly 3,00,000 troops assembled in and around the Persian Gulf, Mr. Bush said "they are prepared, if necessary, to remove a gathering danger.''

Mr. Bush is said to have spoken to the Afghanistan President, Hamid Karzai, on matters pertaining to reconstruction; and is said to be holding off until Monday to make the round of calls to the leaders representing the Security Council, asking them to support the resolution. By then, he will have a better idea as to whether the U.S. is close at all to the nine votes it needs to get the resolution passed and whether, at the same time, it can ensure that Russia, France and China do not exercise their veto.

Most of the activity at the Security Council over the weekend was confined to telephone diplomacy. The Council is expected to meet again on Monday where the lobbying will start all over again. Diplomats say that no one can be certain of the numbers until the very end. Although Mr. Bush has said that he will press for a vote on the resolution, one view is that he may not do so if Washington foresees a humiliating defeat. As of now, it has four votes including that of itself; and notwithstanding any political and economic incentives that are being held out, the non-permanent members are in such a difficult spot that movement towards the U.S. position is not noticeable.

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