Iraq Overshadows Schröder, Blair Meeting

Chancellor Gerhard Schröder had one of those appointments on Wednesday that politicians love. Schröder traveled to London to help Prime Minister Tony Blair open an art exhibition called "The Masterpieces of Dresden."

Surrounded by the works of artists like Caspar David Friedrich, Schröder and Blair could put their countries' relationship in its very best light.

But that would be under normal circumstances. And Schröder was not making his visit under normal circumstances. War is in the air, and the visual pleasures of the exhibition were overshadowed by the deep disagreement between the leaders -- even as they tried to play down those differences on Wednesday.

More united than divided

"There is more that unites us than divides us," Blair told reporters. "We're very good friends, but we are allowed to have disagreements from time to time." Schröder, meanwhile, gave his 10 Downing Street counterpart a pat on the shoulder, thanking Blair for his friendship and saying he hoped it would last far longer than the current Iraq crisis that has pitted them against each other. Playing off of a recent quip from U.S. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, Schröder even joked that the art the two soaked up in London was part of what unites "Old Europe."

For months now, Schröder and Blair have argued the opposite sides of the question. The German chancellor has refused to support a possible U.S.-led war against Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein, and the British prime minister has stood without flinching at the side of U.S. President George W. Bush.

Earlier Wednesday, Blair worked to find a diplomatic compromise that would end the conflict, which is not only hurting German-British ties but also threatens the future of the U.N. Security Council.

The latest fissures were created on Monday when Russia and France announced they would use their ultimate power in the council -- the veto -- to derail an effort by the United States, Britain and Spain to push through a resolution that gives Saddam a March 17 deadline to disarm.

But on Wednesday, Schröder and Blair sought to underline the continuing strength of British-German ties. "The British-German relationship is strong enough that it won't be injured by differences of opinion in the Iraq question," Schröder told reporters Wednesday. "That also applies to the personal relationship between Tony Blair and me."

However, neither Blair nor Schröder was able to reach a compromise position over Iraq. "On this issue, it's certain we will not be able to convince one another," Schröder said.

British propose compromise

Blair, who needs a second resolution to shore up his eroding public support in Britain, has put together a multi-point plan that he hopes the United Nations will embrace in a new resolution. The resolution foresees an ultimatum that would give Saddam until March 27 to comply with "benchmarks." A British Foreign Office official, Mike O'Brien, said they would include:

-- A television appearance by Iraqi President Saddam Hussein in which he renounces weapons of mass destruction.

-- Iraqi permission for 30 key weapons scientists to travel to Cyprus where the could be interviewed by U.N. weapons inspectors.

-- Destruction "forthwith" of 10,000 liters of anthrax and other chemical and biological weapons Iraq is allegedly holding.

-- An official Iraqi explanation for an aerial drone recently discovered by U.N. weapons inspectors.

O'Brien said Britain hoped for a vote at the United Nations on Thursday.

Rumsfeld says U.S. could act alone

The British effort was launched a day after U.S. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld suggested that the Bush administration was prepared to invade Iraq without British support if necessary.

"What will ultimately be decided is unclear as to their role; that is to say, their role in the event a decision is made to use force," Rumsfeld said.

Soon afterward, Rumsfeld backtracked on his comments and said he still expected British support. "In the event that a decision to use force is made, we have every reason to believe there will be a significant military contribution from the United Kingdom," Rumsfeld said.

In response to Rumsfeld's first statement, Blair told parliament on Wednesday: "Of course, it is true that the United States could go alone, and, of course, this country should not take military action unless it is in our interest to do so.

"What is at stake here is not whether the United States goes alone or not, it is whether the international community is prepared to back up the clear instruction it gave to Saddam Hussein with the necessary action. The best thing is to go flat-out for that second resolution."

Added time for inspectors sought

Russia and France have fought efforts to introduce a second resolution, demanding that the U.N. inspectors should be given more time to conduct their work. Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov said on Tuesday that, for the sake of global peace, the world should form an alliance against a war in Iraq. France said Tuesday that it was "open to dialogue" but would not budge on its fundamental position.

In Iraq, the government moved to answer questions about the drone that were raised by U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell. Powell said this week that the drone with a wing span of more than 24 feet could be used to drop chemical and biological agents. Officials of the Iraqi government showed the aircraft to journalists on Wednesday. Reporters seemed unimpressed with the "weapon," with written reports describing it as what appeared to be little more than a model plane made of balsa wood held together with screws and duct tape.