Britain to seek Irish support for Iraq action

Ireland is expected to be pressed to support a US-led attack on Iraq when the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Cowen, meets his British counterpart today.

Although the official topic of Mr Cowen's meeting with Mr Jack Straw is EU enlargement arrangements, a Department source said the Iraq situation will arise.

It is understood Britain is eager to secure support from Ireland, a member of the United Nations Security Council, for the joint US-UK resolution that could open the door to military action against Iraq over its alleged proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.

The Security Council met for three hours yesterday to discuss the draft resolution. It calls for President Saddam Hussein's government to submit to UN weapons inspectors within 30 days an "accurate, full and complete declaration of all aspects of its programmes to develop chemical, biological and nuclear weapons" and other armaments.

The draft is likely to have to change substantially to satisfy the UN. The chief UN weapons inspector, Dr Hans Blix, is understood to favour a longer timeframe for Iraq to comply.

The Government is one of ten chosen by the UN to serve a two-year term on the Security Council. The ten do not have a veto, unlike the five main countries - the US, Britain, France, Russia and China - but they do have the right to vote on any resolution. Nine votes with no veto is required for a resolution to be successful.

Earlier this month, the Irish Ambassador to the UN, Mr Richard Ryan, said the resolution "should insist on unfettered access for the arms inspectors" and leave no doubt that Iraq must comply "without delay".