United Nations security council divisions widened yesterday when France, Germany and Russia pledged to block any new resolution authorising military action against Iraq.

But reports suggest that Britain and America will call their bluff, forcing through a vote on the second resolution early next week.

As diplomatic manoeuvrings continued ahead of tomorrow's report by chief weapons inspector Hans Blix, foreign ministers from the three countries issued a joint statement vowing that "we will not let a proposed resolution pass that would authorise the use of force".

America kept up the pressure, however. US secretary of state Colin Powell described the destruction of some Iraqi missiles as a sham and said that Saddam Hussein was trying to provoke international divisions.

"That effort must fail. because none of us wants to live in a world where facts are defeated by deceit," he said.

As Britain and America considered their next moves at the security council, it was suggested that the new resolution could offer Iraq a new deadline, amounting to a few days, to comply with the UN's requirements.

Speaking in the Commons yesterday, Tony Blair said it was still not too late for Iraq to avert war by cooperating with the weapons inspectors.

"Conflict even now could be avoided in one of two sets of circumstances. Either Saddam fully and unconditionally complies...fully and absolutely as we set out," he said.

"The other alternative is that he leaves. But those are the only two ways of avoiding conflict."