British Prime Minister Tony Blair said on Friday ahead of talks with President Bush that it was important to press for a new U.N. resolution authorizing military force against Iraq.
"It is right that we go for a second resolution because that is a way of saying this is an issue that the international community is not going to duck," he told CNN in an interview.
"The way of keeping everyone together is to adhere to the discipline and integrity of that U.N. process," Blair said.
White House spokesman Ari Fleischer did not rule out a second resolution, saying one would be desirable but is not mandatory. "We're consulting about it," he said.
"The president does believe that the stronger the unity of the world, the more the pressure will be on Saddam Hussein to disarm. But in the event the world is not unified, the president will not hesitate to take the actions that he deems necessary, along with a rather broad and growing coalition, to disarm Saddam Hussein," he said.
"If the process of disarmament cannot happen through the U.N. inspectors, then it will have to happen by force. I believe that is consistent with the U.N. position in 1441," Blair said. (Albawaba.com)
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