03/18/2003

By BARRY SCHWEID / Associated Press

WASHINGTON — As the United States moved closer to war with Iraq, Secretary of State Colin Powell said Tuesday that 30 nations have declared varying levels of support and 15 others have given their backing privately.

Most of the nations named by Powell would not have a combat role, but have allowed the United States to base troops on their soil and to let U.S. planes overfly their territory. Others have offered expertise in dealing with possible chemical weapons attacks.

"We now have a coalition of the willing that includes some 30 nations who publicly said they could be included in such a listing," Powell said, "and there are 15 other nations, for one reason or another, who do not wish to be publicly named but will be supporting the coalition."

Powell told reporters he had received assurances of open support in telephone conversations Tuesday from the foreign ministers of Denmark and the Netherlands, which were listed, but that Russian President Vladimir Putin had reaffirmed his opposition to war with Iraq in a telephone conversation with President Bush.

But Powell said a mutual concern over terrorism and a planned reduction in nuclear weapons arsenals "pull us together, and I think we will have this disagreement and move on."

At the same time, Powell said Iraqi President Saddam Hussein so far had rejected Bush's demand that he leave Iraq, but that a number of countries were still trying to persuade the Iraqi president to go into exile.

"He has essentially dismissed the message," Powell said.

Asked when the United States may go to war against Iraq, the former Army general said he had "learned long ago not to make predictions."

The State Department released the list of 30 countries, one of which, Japan, was identified as only a post-conflict member of the coalition.

Spokesman Richard Boucher said some of them "may put troops on the ground," while others would take on other roles, such as assisting in a defense against the use of chemical or biological weapons or permitting allied combat planes to fly over their territory.

Boucher did not specify which countries would send troops to fight. But Britain is known to have contributed about 45,000 troops, Australia has offered 2,000 and Poland, 200. Albania has offered 70 soldiers for noncombat roles and Romania contributed 278 non-combat experts in demining, in chemical and biological decontamination and military police.

No Arab country was listed by the State Department. But Boucher declined to say none supported the United States against Iraq.

On the diplomatic front, Powell met with his senior staff on Tuesday as "we move into a new phase of diplomacy," Boucher said.

The U.S. focus will be on the humanitarian situation and considering ways to assure food is distributed to the Iraqi people and that oil exports are continued after the war, Boucher said.

The spokesman said the United States would seek a U.N. resolution to ensure food distribution.

Turkey was included on the list, and Powell said even as the Turkish parliament debates a U.S. proposal to use Turkish territory for an invasion of northern Iraq he was confident of Turkish cooperation in one form or another.

Powell also hinted that if the parliament accepts the U.S. proposal the Bush administration might revive its offer of $6 billion in special economic assistance.

Powell said war plans have been drawn up designed to minimize Iraqi civilian casualties and to warn Iraqi commanders about their actions. He said the U.S. aim was "to make it as quick as possible."

Powell also said he would not attend a U.N. Security Council meeting on Wednesday at which the chief U.N. weapons inspector, Hans Blix, is due to make a report.

France and Russia, which opposed war and sought to extend inspections, have indicated they would be represented by their foreign ministers.

But Powell said he saw no point in going, and that U.S. Ambassador John Negroponte would represent the United States.

"It's not a question of the United States boycotting the meeting," Powell said. "It's just that I don't particularly see a need for me to go."