Opposition to Iraq war widens
source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/2688117.stm
China has joined other leading members of the United Nations Security Council to voice strong opposition to an American-led war on Iraq, just days before a key UN debate on the crisis.
Beijing was "worried and uneasy" about the large-scale military build-up in the Gulf, a Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman said.
Russia deems that there is no evidence that would justify a war in Iraq
Igor Ivanov
Russian Foreign Minister
And Russian President Vladimir Putin has told President George W Bush that the UN weapons inspectors' report due on 27 January should be the key to deciding future actions on Iraq, the Kremlin said.
As the rift between Washington and other Security Council members widens, foreign ministers from key Middle East nations are meeting in Istanbul to explore ways of resolving the crisis.
Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Zhang Qiyue said they hoped the meeting in Turkey would make progress.
"We advocate solving the Iraq question through political and diplomatic means," she said.
China's stance, she said, was close to that of the French Government, which together with Germany is calling for everything possible be done to avoid conflict.
UN inspectors say they need several more months to complete their work.
But President Bush, who is massing troops in the region, has warned time is running out for Iraq.
This 'old Europe' has resilience, and is capable of bouncing back
Francis Mer,
French Finance Minister
Russia - which like France and China has power of veto as a permanent member of the Security Council - has also challenged the US position.
Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov said: "Russia deems that there is no evidence that would justify a war in Iraq."
And Mr Putin told President Bush in a telephone conversation on Thursday that "the main criterion" in assessing the situation in Iraq should be the weapons inspectors' findings, the Kremlin announced.
Resentments grow
Both German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder and French President Jacques Chirac have voiced their strong opposition to a declaration of war.
Mr Schroeder also declared that he would not even back a United Nations resolution authorising war on Iraq.
The transatlantic divide is becoming starker and resentments are rising to the surface, says the BBC's diplomatic correspondent Barnaby Mason.
Very worrying health trends can be seen in Iraq, and it's certainly already in a dire situation, but a war will only make that worse
Ed Cairns
Oxfam
Aid agencies predict human disaster
The American Secretary of State Colin Powell said there were some nations who would like simply to turn away from the problem and pretend it did not exist.
Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld on Wednesday said France and Germany had been "problems" but added that they were "old Europe" and the balance of power was shifting away from them.
French Finance Minister Francis Mer retorted by saying: "This 'old Europe' has resilience, and is capable of bouncing back."
The UK remains the strongest ally of the US.
Its Foreign Minister Jack Straw is in Washington for meetings with Mr Powell and Vice-President Dick Cheney.
Spain and Italy also still support Washington, but they all have to take account of rising domestic opposition to war, our correspondent says.
Common approach
The meeting in Istanbul brings together foreign ministers from Turkey, Egypt, Iran, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and Syria in a bid to adopt a common approach to the crisis.
Regional leaders want their voices to be heard
"A military confrontation is the last thing we need in this region of the world," Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Maher said on arrival.
The BBC's Roger Hearing says there will be calls for Iraq to disarm and abide by UN resolutions, but almost certainly no direct appeal to Saddam Hussein to step aside as president.
He says the point of the meeting is not so much to influence the Americans or the Iraqis, but to show the people of the ministers' own countries that they are at least trying to prevent a highly unpopular war.
Turkey and Saudi Arabia are under pressure to allow the use of land and airspace by US forces should President Bush order an invasion of Iraq.
source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/2688117.stm
China has joined other leading members of the United Nations Security Council to voice strong opposition to an American-led war on Iraq, just days before a key UN debate on the crisis.
Beijing was "worried and uneasy" about the large-scale military build-up in the Gulf, a Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman said.
Russia deems that there is no evidence that would justify a war in Iraq
Igor Ivanov
Russian Foreign Minister
And Russian President Vladimir Putin has told President George W Bush that the UN weapons inspectors' report due on 27 January should be the key to deciding future actions on Iraq, the Kremlin said.
As the rift between Washington and other Security Council members widens, foreign ministers from key Middle East nations are meeting in Istanbul to explore ways of resolving the crisis.
Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Zhang Qiyue said they hoped the meeting in Turkey would make progress.
"We advocate solving the Iraq question through political and diplomatic means," she said.
China's stance, she said, was close to that of the French Government, which together with Germany is calling for everything possible be done to avoid conflict.
UN inspectors say they need several more months to complete their work.
But President Bush, who is massing troops in the region, has warned time is running out for Iraq.
This 'old Europe' has resilience, and is capable of bouncing back
Francis Mer,
French Finance Minister
Russia - which like France and China has power of veto as a permanent member of the Security Council - has also challenged the US position.
Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov said: "Russia deems that there is no evidence that would justify a war in Iraq."
And Mr Putin told President Bush in a telephone conversation on Thursday that "the main criterion" in assessing the situation in Iraq should be the weapons inspectors' findings, the Kremlin announced.
Resentments grow
Both German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder and French President Jacques Chirac have voiced their strong opposition to a declaration of war.
Mr Schroeder also declared that he would not even back a United Nations resolution authorising war on Iraq.
The transatlantic divide is becoming starker and resentments are rising to the surface, says the BBC's diplomatic correspondent Barnaby Mason.
Very worrying health trends can be seen in Iraq, and it's certainly already in a dire situation, but a war will only make that worse
Ed Cairns
Oxfam
Aid agencies predict human disaster
The American Secretary of State Colin Powell said there were some nations who would like simply to turn away from the problem and pretend it did not exist.
Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld on Wednesday said France and Germany had been "problems" but added that they were "old Europe" and the balance of power was shifting away from them.
French Finance Minister Francis Mer retorted by saying: "This 'old Europe' has resilience, and is capable of bouncing back."
The UK remains the strongest ally of the US.
Its Foreign Minister Jack Straw is in Washington for meetings with Mr Powell and Vice-President Dick Cheney.
Spain and Italy also still support Washington, but they all have to take account of rising domestic opposition to war, our correspondent says.
Common approach
The meeting in Istanbul brings together foreign ministers from Turkey, Egypt, Iran, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and Syria in a bid to adopt a common approach to the crisis.
Regional leaders want their voices to be heard
"A military confrontation is the last thing we need in this region of the world," Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Maher said on arrival.
The BBC's Roger Hearing says there will be calls for Iraq to disarm and abide by UN resolutions, but almost certainly no direct appeal to Saddam Hussein to step aside as president.
He says the point of the meeting is not so much to influence the Americans or the Iraqis, but to show the people of the ministers' own countries that they are at least trying to prevent a highly unpopular war.
Turkey and Saudi Arabia are under pressure to allow the use of land and airspace by US forces should President Bush order an invasion of Iraq.
