Secretary of State Colin Powell Beginning Two-Day Mission to U.N.
PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: Secretary of State Colin Powell is beginning a two-day mission to the United Nations. He is hoping to get elected members of the Security Council to embrace a new resolution authorizing force to disarm Iraq. Let's check in with Andrea Koppel, who's standing by at the State Department with the very latest. Good morning, Andrea.</s>ANDREA KOPPEL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Paula. It is a very busy day today for the United States' top diplomat Colin Powell, who in a few minutes will be heading up to Capitol Hill to testify before a Senate subcommittee Commerce, Justice and State. But the real heavy lifting today is going to take place in New York. As you just said, Paula, he heads up there for some preliminary meetings. The next 24 to 48 hours, U.S. officials believe, could determine whether or not the United States ends up going into Iraq with a coalition of the willing or whether it goes in with the blessing of the United Nations Security Council. The focus of Secretary Powell's energy, of course, coming ahead of the Hans Blix report, which is, the U.S. hopes, going to be the last time that the U.N. weapons inspectors make their report before the U.N. Security Council. Secretary Powell and others focusing on what's known as the undecided six, six smaller, poorer countries actually on the U.N. Security Council whose votes could make or break this second resolution. There have been reports, as we have been reporting on CNN, in the British press, that Tony Blair's government has been talking with some of the U6 nations to try to come up with some compromised language. I also know that U.S. officials have been talking with the same governments. Just last weekend, Secretary Powell had a secret meeting with the Mexican foreign minister at his home, hoping to get them to support the resolution. Nobody has given guidance of what the language would be. I'm told they're sort of noodling around with the ideas, that perhaps there could of a slight extension. But again, nothing firm, nothing on paper, I'm told. Secretary Powell will be meeting again with members of the U6. He'll meet with Jack Straw today in new York and try to get the necessary votes, Paula. The big question, of course, is whether or not France, Germany and Russia will exercise their veto power. Just yesterday, there was a big meeting in Paris in which both France and Russia threatened to do so -- Paula.</s>ZAHN: Got to leave it there this morning. Andrea Koppel, thanks so much. to U.N.>