The American Secretary of State, Colin Powell, has said the United States and Britain have agreed on the text of a proposed resolution on Iraq to be put to the United Nations Security Council.
But Mr Powell admitted there were difficulties in getting agreement from other key members of the Council.
The State Department has begun a mission to try to secure the approval of the French and Russian governments.
Mr Powell also told a Senate committee in Washington that any resolution had to be strong enough and comprehensive enough to produce disarmament and not just weapons inspections.
He said sending inspectors to Baghdad without a resolution would be a recipe for failure.
But the Secretary of State said force would be used only as a final option.
