US President George W Bush meets with Russia's foreign and defense ministers later today amid signs of a growing rift between the two countries over Iraq.
With The Washington Timesnewspaper today reporting that US military planners regard February as the best time to attack Iraq, Mr Bush will hope to convince foreign minister Igor Ivanov and defence minister Sergei Ivanov that Saddam Hussein must be removed, despite the return of weapons inspections expected to begin next month.
The United States demands that Iraq disarm and wants the United Nations Security Council, where it and Russia both have a veto, to pass a tough resolution specifying the consequences Baghdad must face for 12 years of what Washington calls Iraqi defiance.
Secretary of State Colin Powell dismissed last night dismissed Iraq's offer to readmit inspectors as a "ploy".
"This is the time not to welcome what they said and become giddy, as some have done," he told a US congressional committee. "This is the time to apply even more pressure. We must not relent."
Today's was scheduled a long time ago to discuss the treaty cutting US and Russian nuclear arsenals but a US National Security Council spokesman acknowledged the meeting could turn to Iraq.
"If the president or the foreign minister or the defence minister wished to bring up other issues, certainly I would imagine both sides would be prepared to discuss those issues, including Iraq," spokesman Mr Sean McCormack said. Last night Mr Powell warned that the US will find ways to stop weapons inspectors going back to Iraq unless the United Nations Security Council issues a new resolution on the issue.
Addressing a Congressional committee, Mr Powell said the Security Council must make clear to Iraq the serious consequences it faces if it fails to co-operate with the inspectors.
Chief UN arms inspector Mr Hans Blix had told the Security Council he hoped to have an advance party in Iraq by October 15th.
"We will select some sites that we think are interesting to go to in the early phases," he said, "so it's not like it takes two months before we can send any guys out there in the field. It will be much earlier than that".
At the UN, Iraqi Foreign Minister Mr Naji Sabri accused Washington of lying about Iraq's weapons. Saddam Hussein insisted Baghdad does not possess chemical, biological or nuclear weapons, he said.
Earlier, President Bush sent a draft resolution to Congress, asking it to authorise all necessary and appropriate means to ensure Iraqi compliance with UN resolutions and to restore peace and security to the region.
Mr Bush also urged the UN Security Council to deal with Iraq - or the US and its allies would. Mr Bush said negotiations with the Iraqis were over.
AFP