UNITED NATIONS -- The United States came under a barrage of criticism Wednesday as the Security Council held an open debate at the behest of dozens of countries angry with the Bush administration's threat to attack Iraq.

U.S. allies in the Middle East, including Kuwait -- invaded by Saddam Hussein's forces in 1990 -- came out against the use of military force in Iraq and called on Washington to give U.N. weapons inspectors a chance to disarm the oil-rich nation.

Iraq's other neighbors, from Iran to Jordan and the Persian Gulf states, warned that a military strike would further destabilize the volatile Middle East for years to come.

Even close friends such as Japan and Australia refrained from supporting America's efforts to win authorization in a new U.N. resolution for a military strike if inspections fail.

But U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan supported the U.S. search for a new resolution that would toughen weapons inspections.

The U.S. ambassador is scheduled to address the council today.

The Security Council's five permanent, veto-holding members are divided over how to proceed on Iraq now that it has agreed to the return of inspectors after nearly four years.

The United States, supported by Britain, has spent the past month pushing for a new U.N. resolution authorizing the use of force if Iraq fails to comply with a tough, new inspections regime.

But France, China and Russia are opposed to any "green light," that would allow the administration to attack Baghdad before its sincerity can be tested on the ground.

France has garnered serious support from China, Russia and influential Arab countries for a proposal only authorizing the possible use of force if inspectors complain about Iraq's compliance.

Hoping for compromise

Hoping to reach a compromise, the United States has been holding secret consultations with the four other major powers, to the exclusion and often frustration of other U.N. members, who feel in the dark on what could be the eve of a major conflict.

In an effort to force a public accounting on the Iraq debate, the Non-Aligned Movement of some 115 mainly developing countries called for Wednesday's open meeting to criticize Washington's position and its handling of the issue here. Nearly 70 countries are expected to speak over two days.

South African Ambassador Dumisani Shadrack Kumalo, whose country heads the movement, opened Wednesday's debate by criticizing the closed-door process. "This can only lead to the erosion of the authority and legitimacy of the Security Council."

Authorizing force now, he said, "would subject and condemn large numbers of civilians to war in order to enforce resolutions."