France, Russia to oppose war

UNITED NATIONS -- Days away from a U.N. vote that could lead to war in Iraq, France and Russia said Monday that they would oppose the U.S.-backed resolution setting a March 17 ultimatum for Saddam Hussein, a strong indication the measure could face defeat.\nNeither Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov nor French Foreign Minister Dominique de Villepin said explicitly that they would veto the resolution if necessary, but their forceful words strongly hinted that they would.\nThe two ministers, who oppose the rush to war and want Iraq peacefully disarmed, spoke as the rival camps led by the United States and France stepped up lobbying of a handful of undecided Security Council members whose votes could be crucial.\nU.S. Ambassador John Negroponte told the council Friday to be prepared to vote as early as Tuesday. But Chile's U.N. Ambassador Gabriel Valdes, whose country is in the undecided camp, said "I dont think there will be a vote tomorrow."\nDe Villepin met top Angolan officials Monday at the start of a quick trip to lobby three undecided African members of the council that will also take him to Cameroon and Guinea. Angola's Foreign Minister Joao Miranda would not say whether his country would support the resolution.\n"It's not my job to say what the Angolan position is," de Villepin said in the capital, Luanda. "We won't let a resolution that could open the way to war pass in the Security Council." But some observers said that despite such words, Paris would be hesitant to block a resolution if it has broad backing.\nAfter listening to the latest reports Friday from top U.N. weapons inspectors, Russia's Ivanov said Monday "we did not hear serious arguments for the use of force to solve the Iraqi problem"