The United States and Britain have edged closer to war with Iraq, giving Saddam Hussein just ten days to fully disarm or face military action.
Despite an appeal for more time from the chief United Nations weapons inspector, Hans Blix, Britain and the US are expected to set 17 March as the deadline for military action.
The British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw told the UN Security Council that a revised resolution will be tabled which will give Saddam Hussein ten days to comply with the earlier resolution 1441.
Mr Straw said that if Iraq fails to take this final opportunity to disarm, serious consequences will follow.
It is understood the 15 Council Members will be called to vote on the revised resolution early next week.
No evidence on US claims - Blix
During his briefing to the UN Security Council today, Mr Blix said there was 'no evidence' to support US claims that Iraq was hiding banned arms in mobile laboratories.
He added that there was no evidence of underground chemical or biological production or storage facilities in Iraq.
Mr Blix said the destruction of a number of Iraqi missiles, which began last weekend, was a substantial measure of disarmament.
However, he said the destruction work was not continuing today.
Mr Blix said it would take months to verify Iraq's full compliance with disarmament obligations.
No need for resolution - Fischer
Joschka Fischer, Germany's Foreign Minister, said peaceful disarmament is still possible and said there is no need for a second resolution.
Mr Fischer added, however, that inspections should be speeded up and that disarmament should be approached 'energetically and systematically'.
He said the aim of the international community remains the complete disarmament of Iraq only, and said war would only hamper attempts to resolve the Middle East conflict and strengthen international terrorism.
The French Foreign Minister, Dominique de Villepin said France would not allow the UN Security Council to pass a resolution authorizing the automatic use of force against Iraq.
Moscow warns on resolution wording
A top Russian foreign ministry official has said Moscow would oppose a UN resolution which spelled out the use of force against Iraq.
Deputy Foreign Minister Georgy Mamedov told reporter in Moscow: ' If we are talking about a form (of wording) that will simply give its blessing to a military operation against Iraq, then we think this will be a tragic mistake and we will come out against it.'
Bush ultimatum to Saddam
US President George W Bush said last night Saddam Hussein must disarm, leave the country or face war.
In a news conference at the White House, Mr Bush said he had not yet decided to go to war. That decision, he said, would be made by the Iraqi leader.
He said it was time for Security Council members to show their cards and let the world know where they stood on Iraq. Mr Bush said that if the vote on a new resolution were lost, the United States would lead a coalition to disarm Iraq.
Mr Bush said the US did not need permission to take action to defend itself.
He also confirmed that disarming Iraq would mean removing the Iraqi leader from power. The regime, he said, would be changed.
Speaking on RTÉ Radio this morning, the Charge D'affaires at the United States Embassy in Dublin, Jane Fort, said Washington was not pursuing an isolationist policy on Iraq.
The French Ambassador to Ireland, Gabriel de Bellescize, has warned that there would be serious strategic consequences of a war without international support.
