The United States said this evening it expects a "messy" diplomatic battle over its proposed new UN resolution on Iraq but warned the other members of the Security Council that it expected action soon.
"This is going to be a complicated process because it is a long text," said State Department spokesman Richard Boucher as the five permanent, veto-wielding members of the council spent a second day haggling over the revised US text.
"It's probably going to be a messy process," Boucher told reporters when asked about new objections to the resolution from France and Russia.
As the discussions in New York continued, the White House told the United Nations that it "does not have forever" to pass a new resolution demanding that Iraq disarm or face serious consequences.
"The United Nations is entering the final stages on this, and we would like to see an agreement reached," spokesman Ari Fleischer told reporters accompany President George W Bush on a campaign trip to Pennsylvania.
"It is coming down to the end," Fleischer said. "The United Nations does not have forever."
The United States, which distributed its text to the other permanent Security Council members - Britain, China, France and Russia - yesterday, expects to present the draft to the 10 non-elected council members "shortly," Boucher said.
AFP