In a blunt warning to the United States and Britain, the foreign ministers of France, Germany and Russia said Wednesday they would block any attempt to get U.N. approval for war against Iraq. Secretary of State Colin Powell, who will travel to the United Nations on Thursday to lobby for a resolution authorizing military action, countered that the United States reserves the option to take action no matter what the council does.

A Case for Asserting Other Powers Rights to Influence Global Affairs

After the emergency meeting in Paris, diplomats said it was increasingly likely that France and Russia would veto the resolution in an attempt to assert their independence and show that other powers must have influence in global affairs.

Backing down now from seeking more inspections to disarm Iraq peacefully would be a major humiliation and politically costly because of strong opposition in their countries to war.

"We will not allow a resolution to pass that authorizes resorting to force," French Foreign Minister Dominique de Villepin said at a news conference with Russia's Igor Ivanov and Germany's Joschka Fischer.

Ivanov did not say outright that Russia would use its veto. But he said China supports the Russian-French-German position.

The Europeans may already be looking beyond war for when they expect the United States will need their help to rebuild Iraq, a process that could take years. They could provide peacekeeping troops and aid, helping to mend relations with Washington, some diplomats suggested.

Hinting at this, de Villepin said that even if Washington and its allies strike Iraq without U.N. backing, they would need international support in the aftermath.

"If one country imagines that it can win the war alone, we can only build peace together," he said.

Anglo-American Camp Confident of Winning UN Security Council Majority

U.S. and British officials refused to concede defeat, insisting they remained confident of getting a majority on the U.N. Security Council and portraying the European opposition as last minute posturing.

Said Powell: The United States must "reserve the option to act with a coalition of willing nations if the council does not act."
In a sign of sagging confidence, the United States, which had been confident of Russian support, warned Moscow on Wednesday that a veto would damage relations. A council vote is expected as early as next week.

Deal Over Proposed Resolution Still Possible

Some European diplomats indicated a deal was still possible, possibly involving watered-down wording on a resolution approving some form of action against Iraq. The United States has said it would oppose this.

British diplomats, desperate for a U.N. resolution because of domestic opposition to their government's support for war, hinted that the weapons inspections could be given a bit more time under a tight deadline.

Turkey's failure to clear the way for U.S. operations from its territory against Iraq had created a possible window, they said. On Wednesday, Turkey's powerful military said it supported letting in the U.S. troops, boosting pressure on legislators to reconsider their rejection of a measure allowing the American deployment.

Blix Report Expected to Provide Both Camps with Ammunition to Bolster Either Case, Friday

Both sides in the Security Council debate are hoping chief weapons inspector Hans Blix will give them ammunition to bolster their case Friday when he presents his latest report on Iraqi compliance.

Blix appeared ambivalent Wednesday, saying Iraq had made real progress on destroying missiles and was providing "a great deal more of cooperation now" with inspectors - but that major questions remained on chemical and biological weapons.

A strong condemnation of Iraq by Blix could clear the way for France and Russia to back military action at the last moment. Paris has never ruled out force if Iraq fails to disarm.

France believes U.S. and British diplomats cannot gain the nine Security Council votes they need to get a resolution. This would save Paris and Moscow from having to veto a resolution and bear the full brunt of American anger.

France, Russia and China, as permanent council members, would all veto the resolution if it gets nine votes, claimed one diplomat, who spoke on condition of anonymity. But for now, French officials think the resolution has just four backers: the United States, Britain, Spain and Bulgaria.

Six nations - Pakistan, Chile, Mexico, Angola, Guinea and Cameroon - remain undecided.

In Paris, the three foreign ministers said inspections were producing results and that weapons experts should be given more time to search for arms that Iraq is not supposed to have.

Acknowledging the United States will likely wage war regardless of what the United Nations does, German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder said in a speech Wednesday, "We may lose this argument."

"We will advocate to the last - along with our partners in Europe and beyond - that the disarmament of the Iraqi regime be achieved by peaceful means," Schroeder said.

PHOTO CAPTION

French Foreign Minister Dominique de Villepin (L) laughs with his German counterpart Joschka Fischer (L) and Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov at the end of a press conference at the foreign ministry in Paris, March 5, 2003 (Jack Dabaghian/Re