White House in fresh drive to win over sceptics

President Bush stepped up his efforts to convince those sceptical of his case against Iraq yesterday, holding a bilateral meeting with Canada's Prime Minister, Jean Chretien, and speaking by phone to Middle Eastern and European leaders and to Kofi Annan, the UN secretary general.

Mr Bush's latest round of talks came as President Jacques Chirac of France, while vigorously opposing a pre-emptive unilateral American strike against Baghdad, none the less set out a possible two-step process that could lead to approval by the United Nations Security Council of a military move against Saddam Hussein.

The White House spokes-man Ari Fleischer described Mr Bush's talks as part of consultations with leaders ahead of his speech to the UN General Assembly on Thursday, when he is expected to demand a deadline for the readmission by Iraq of UN weapons inspectors.

Mr Fleischer refused direct comment on Mr Chirac's proposals, but claimed to detect "a budding movement" to put teeth into UN resolutions on Iraq, and to impose a more coercive inspections regime.

Those contacted by Mr Bush yesterday included President Ahmet Sezer of Turkey, whose air bases could be vital for an attack, as well as Anders Fogh Rasmussen, the Prime Minister of Denmark, which currently holds the EU presidency, and the leaders of Saudi Arabia and Egypt, who are opposed to an attack on Iraq.

Mr Bush's private meeting with Mr Chretien came as the two leaders inspected streamlined border security at the Ambassadors' Bridge linking Detroit with Western Ontario, one of the busiest crossings between the US and Canada.