“We can disarm Iraq without war. I see grasping this chance as my responsibility,” Schroeder told deputies, drawing a standing ovation from the ranks of his center-left coalition.

In Iraq, a brief announcement published by newspapers yesterday said the Iraqi Parliament, long asked by the U.N. to pass a law banning prohibited weapons, will hold an extraordinary session today ahead of the U.N. Security Council session.

“The National Assembly will hold an extraordinary session this afternoon. The Assembly asks members to attend the session at the set time.”

In another development, NATO called off a meeting of ambassadors of its 19-member states yesterday after it became clear they were no nearer to breaking a deadlock on preparations for a possible U.S.-led war against Iraq, a spokesman said.

Also Wednesday, U.S. soldiers, members of Congress and others sued President George W. Bush to prevent the United States from invading Iraq without obtaining a Congressional declaration of war.

“The president is not a king,” attorney John Bonifaz told reporters shortly after he filed the civil lawsuit in Boston federal court. (Agencies)


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