UNITED NATIONS, Oct 1: The United States and Britain on Monday stepped up lobbying the UN Security Council members to support a resolution that would give US permission to strike Iraq.

Besides seeking support from the permanent three members, China, Russia and France, by sending envoys to their capitals, the two countries are negotiating with 10 non-permanent members most of whom are against a new resolution which gives Washington right to strike at will.

In the 15-member security Council five permanent members — US, Russia, China, France and Britain, have veto powers to kill the resolution while the rotating 10 members who vote cannot do the same. But an en bloc no vote by the 10 rotating members can also block the resolution from being adopted. However, diplomats here say that chances of that happening are slim.

A resolution needs nine votes in favour for adoption and no veto from the council’s five permanent members.

The 10 elected members of the council are Bulgaria, Cameroon, Colombia, Guinea, Ireland, Mauritius, Mexico, Norway, Singapore and Syria.

Syria has already taken a firm position, with its representative, Fayssal Mekdad, saying: “In principle we don’t think there should be any resolution.”

“The trigger for military action is the main objection,” one council envoy said. “On the other hand, most members value their ties with the United States above anything else.”

The draft is not expected to be introduced or circulated until Tuesday or Wednesday, leaving open the possibility of revisions by the Bush administration, diplomats said.

The proposed US resolution also sets a seven-day deadline for Iraq to accept demands in the document and a 30-day deadline for Iraq to declare all its weapons of mass destruction programmes.

It calls for security forces or guards to protect the inspectors at their base and says any of the five permanent council members can request an inspection site and be represented on an inspection team.

The draft would also declare Iraq in “material breach” of UN resolutions dating back to a ceasefire measure, adopted in April 1991 after the Gulf war. Any violation by Iraq of the new text would be a further breach lead to military action.