March 17 tipped for war

2003-03-02 12:02

Auckland - New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark said Sunday she believes war in Iraq was likely around March 17.

She told Television New Zealand the deadline on Iraq had almost expired.

Clarke has been under pressure here to join Australia in its strong support for the US line on the Iraq, but she said as a small country whose prime minister at the time was present at the founding of the United Nations, New Zealand was committed to the UN route in resolving international conflicts.

To do otherwise, she said, would lead to "anarchy, chaos".

Predicting a UN Security Council debate on the issue to open this coming Friday, Clark said the issue was now moving quickly.

"It's thought that the United States and Britain will be ready to go to war on the 17th or that week thereabouts," she said.

"So we are pretty well up against Iraq to take some decisive action."

Australian Prime Minister John Howard is due in New Zealand later this week for what would normally have been routine talks. But political commentators here suggest New Zealand was now under pressure to join Canberra in its support of Washington.

- AFP