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Diplomats at the United Nations have disclosed of the draft resolution on Iraq, which the United States wants the Security Council to adopt.
The resolution would give Iraq seven days to agree to unlimited weapons inspections.
The resolution would warn that if Iraq fails to comply, all necessary means - a diplomatic term for military action - would follow.
The details come as a US diplomat prepares to visit Russian leaders, as part of American efforts to gain diplomatic backing from the permanent members of the Security Council.
Under the draft resolution, Iraq would have 30 days to make a full declaration of any and all nuclear, chemical, biological or ballistic weapons programmes.
On Friday, the US envoy failed to convince French President Jacques Chirac that he should back a United Nations resolution authorising the automatic use of force against Iraq if it fails to cooperate with weapons inspectors.
A British diplomat is going to Beijing to talk to Chinese leaders.
Any of the five permanent members of the Security Council - the US, Britain, France, Russia and China - can veto a resolution at the UN.
France scepticism
On Friday, Mr Chirac told US President George W Bush by telephone that he still opposed a new UN resolution that would provide for the automatic use of force if Iraq fails to co-operate with UN demands.
Mr Chirac restated France's preference for a two-step process - one resolution on the return of UN weapons inspectors and a second one authorising force if Iraq failed to comply.
Mr Chirac told President Bush that France favoured a resolution that was "simple and firm, showing the unity and determination of the international community," according to his spokeswoman Catherine Colonna.
Mr Chirac "reiterated that France remains more than ever in favour of a two-step approach and that this is the view of the majority of the international community, given the seriousness of the decisions to be taken and their consequences," she added.
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Where key nations stand on Iraq
US Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Marc Grossman held talks at the French Foreign Ministry on Friday, before heading on to the presidential palace to discuss the terms of the draft resolution further.
The BBC's James Coomarasamy in Paris says the difference between the US and the French approaches is a tactical one, and a compromise form of words is likely to be reached that would keep France on board.
Moscow mission
As Mr Grossman prepares to continue to Moscow, Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov expressed further doubt over US policy on Iraq on Friday.
He said there was as yet "no clear proof" that Iraqi President Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction.
But he added that it would be an "unforgivable error" to delay the return of UN weapons inspectors.
China also reiterated its opposition to any military strike on Iraq which did not have UN authorisation.
Chinese Premier Zhu Rongji said that "if the weapons inspections do not take place, if we do not have clear proof and if we do not have the authorisation of the Security Council, we cannot launch a military attack on Iraq - otherwise, there would be incalculable consequences".
He was speaking after meeting French Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin.
Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein has offered to re-admit UN weapons inspectors unconditionally. But the US administration dismissed the offer as a ploy and says a new UN resolution is needed.
US Secretary of State Colin Powell has warned that the US is prepared to go it alone if it cannot get the UN's backing.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/2285948.stm
