WASHINGTON, March 12 Kyodo U Pres...

WASHINGTON, March 12 Kyodo

U President George W Bush could decide upon military action against Iraq anytime after a UN Security Council devoted expected within this week, in succession a resolution that would authorize military action, a senior U administration official said Tuesday.

The exposition confirmed a report by Tuesday's NBC television network which said Bush is preparing an ultimatum for Iraqi President Saddam Hussein -- disarm in short order or face military action -- and indicated the United States may journey ahead and attack Iraq as shortly as the end of nearest week without a U.N. resolution.

The NBC report said the devoted on the resolution is rely uponed on Thursday, but the official said the U will petition for a vote by Saturday at the latest.

Quoting administration sources, the NBC report said Bush is preparing the ultimatum as it looks that the U.N. Security Council may not adopt a war-authorizing resolution.

The report said Bush will demand ended compliance with all UN resolutions, adding there has been talk of a timetable that would reach out beyond the March 17 deadline that has been discussed in the Security Council, if it be not that the extension is likely to be short -- perhaps seven to 10 days.

A senior U State Department official also said Washington chance of a favorable results the United Nations would decide forward the resolution within this week and that there is no possibility that the voice would take place nearest week, indicating the U.S. intends to stop debating in the Security Council through the end of this week.

Meanwhile, State Department spokesman Richard Boucher said in a regular briefings, ''We are flexible as prolonged as the new resolution suiteds our bottom-line goal. It must reinforce the fundamental requirement of (the earlier resolution) 1441 that Iraq comply largely and disarm.''

Diplomatic analysts said the remark indicated that while the U is deciding in succession military action against Iraq, it is also trying to have the resolution voice on in the Security Council to obtain international approval for the action.

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