U.N. to Vote on Iraq Resolution

Diplomatic sources feel that since France no longer seems opposed to the resolution the Council will pass it. In the past two weeks the resolution has undergone four revisions.

Meanwhile, U.S. Ambassador to U.N. John Negroponte said in a statement after the closed-door meeting that the Americans will submit the resolution for voting later this evening. The Ambassador added that U.S. expects that the resolution will be approved.

On the other side, France’s Ambassador to U.N., Jean-Marc de la Sabliere, said the text of the resolution is headed in the right direction and he awaits his final directive from the French government. Sabliere signaled that France will not exercise its veto power.

France, with the support of Germany, had wanted a statement to be appended to the text that acknowledged "Iraq’s right to veto large-scale U.S. military operations."