UNITED NATIONS (IPS)�Rolf Ekeus� nomination to head the new commission overseeing Iraq�s disarmament remains in limbo, with the Security Council�s closed-door session on Jan. 18 ending without a consensus on the appointment.

Three veto-holding permanent members of the council�Russia, China and France�sent letters objecting to Mr. Ekeus� nomination to the January president of the council, U.S. Ambassador Richard Holbrooke.

After the council meeting, Ambassador Holbrooke said, "There is no consensus, therefore the Security Council will continue to consult bilateral. No action was taken on the Secretary General�s recommendation."

This means there was no vote one way or the other on Mr. Ekeus, who remains in contention for the post.

On Jan. 17, Secretary General Kofi Annan selected the Swedish diplomat, who headed the previous inspection commission�UNSCOM�from 1991 to 1997, even though he knew Mr. Ekeus did not enjoy consensus support on the Security Council.

According to the resolution creating the UN Monitoring, Verification and Inspection Commission, Mr. Annan had to submit a name within 30 days, meaning Jan. 16. There is no deadline for Security Council action on the nomination. The commission was created by resolution 1284 on Dec. 17 to "address unresolved disarmament issues" and establish "a reinforced system of ongoing monitoring and verification" to ensure Iraq does not rebuild its arsenals.

Speaking as the U.S. representative, Mr. Holbrooke said, "We continue to support the Secretary General�s recommendation." He added the United States "would not preclude" the possibility of a new candidate being suggested.

Meanwhile, local groups seeking the end of sanctions against Iraq reacted bitterly to the proposed appointment. "(Ekeus) was extremely difficult for the Iraqis to work with," said Dierdre Sennet of the International Action Committee, a New York-based grassroots activist group.

Ms. Sennet, a contributor to the book "Challenge to Genocide," said Mr. Ekeus had helped prolong the sanctions and for that reason had the support of Britain and the United States.

Ambassador Sergey Lavrov, Russia�s representative on the Council, while not naming an alternative candidate, said, "The candidate should be the person who can ensure the implementation of Resolution 1284. We have to ensure the cooperation of Iraq."

Iraq has constantly said it would not cooperate with the new inspection regime.

Ambassador Lavrov said, "Quite a few of (the other names suggested) received less negative reaction" then Mr. Ekeus. "We don�t want associations with UNSCOM, which discredited itself," he added, referring to the charge that the United States had used UNSCOM inspections for its own espionage purposes.

China�s Deputy Representative, Shen Gougang, said Beijing had no preferred candidate but that "we have always said it should be someone from the developing world." As for Mr. Ekeus, he said, "We praise him more than oppose him."