FRANK SESNO, CNN ANCHOR: Turning now to the United Nations, where later today the Security Council takes up the nomination of Rolf Ekeus as chief U.N. weapons inspector for Iraq. It may be a very tough sale. Three of the council's five permanent members, Russia, France and China, have problems with Ekeus. CNN's senior United Nations correspondent Richard Roth joins us now with more -- Richard.</s>RICHARD ROTH, CNN SR. U.N. CORRESPONDENT: Frank, the U.N. spokesman, Fred Eckhard, just seconds ago called this a very unusual situation. It was a Security Council which said in a resolution on Iraq that it was up to Kofi Annan, the secretary general, to nominate a new chief weapons inspector, but the counsel must first approve. Though Annan yesterday nominated Rolf Ekeus. Ekeus was the first chief weapons investigator for the United Nations dealing with Iraq. He started nearly -- in the days and weeks after the Gulf War ended. But now the Russians believe Ekeus is unacceptable to Iraq.</s>SERGEY LAVROV, RUSSIAN AMB. TO U.N.: We have to have a new mechanism, and we have to have a mechanism which would enjoy cooperation from the Iraq authorities. And Ambassador Ekeus' (OFF- MIKE), though we respect him highly as a diplomat and a very able personality, does not correspondent to the criteria of having a new mechanism and ensuring the cooperation on the part of Iraq.</s>ROTH: France is also opposed, saying Ekeus is not the right man for change. Behind the backdrop of all of this the U.N.'s attempt to resume a relationship with Iraq after inspectors departed Baghdad late in 1998. China, while not coming out and declaring itself officially opposed to Ekeus, again behind the lines, is not in favor of his candidacy, believing that Iraq will not be in favor of it. Indeed, on Monday, Tariq Aziz, deputy prime minister for Iraq, called the choice of Ekaus new wine in an old bottle. Consultations on this issue will begin in about three hours.
Hard Sell Expected as U.N. Security Council Takes up Nomination of Rolf Ekeus as Chief Weapons Inspector for Iraq