UNITED NATIONS, Jan 25: French support is crucial for the United States to get an explicit UN Security Council authorization of war against Iraq, diplomats and officials said here on Friday.

“It was the French support that helped US obtain an unanimous UN resolution 1441 which authorized intrusive inspections by the UN Weapons Inspectors threatening action if it is found in ‘material breach’” a diplomat asserted.

Although Germany would head the UN Security Council in February, it is a non-permanent member with a two-year tenure and does not enjoy the veto power which France a permanent member does.

Both French and German leaders declared last week that the UN inspectors should be given more time to continue inspection before a decision was made to go to war against Iraq.

French Foreign Minister, Dominique de Villepin, who hosted last week’s Security Council meeting to asses the war against terrorism, made it clear that the UN arms inspections must go on longer than the Bush administration wanted.

France also has the support of two other permanent members of the Security Council — Russia and France. Only Britain and the US are on the other side of the fence.

“As far as we can see now, it is very difficult to imagine a position in which the idea of cutting short the inspections can be argued,” said a delegate here.

Even Britain which is America’s number one ally, believes that eventually the Security Council may authorize action against Iraq if it is found in “material breach” but not immediately.

The British want to slow down the US in its determination to launch an attack sooner rather than later. “They are putting the brake on US timings, despite public comments,” said a key diplomat.

The Bush administration says it can build a “coalition of the willing” without major European nations. Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said last week that France and Germany, with the largest economies in western Europe, represent “old Europe” and are not needed to get international support.

However, a growing sentiment against an imminent war without the support of the international community is prompting the Bush administration to wait a while before launching an attack against Baghdad.

Even Bulgaria, a council member for a year and one of the new countries invited to join Nato in November, has misgivings even though it supports Washington’s aims.