The Administration cannot hope to persuade the world to maintain a tight embargo on trade with Iraq, particularly in arms, until it stops aiding Brazilian missile-building programs.

Administration officials say the threat of a tighter embargo has actually focused the attention of the business executives on the issue, and drawn more open expressions of disfavor.

For these reasons the North's neighbors, China, Japan and South Korea, have been reluctant to impose a tight embargo.

A tight embargo denied Iraq the intended fruits of its conquest, and cut off its own oil revenues as well.

The tighter embargo has been so effective that it has even halted much of Iraq's export of dates, a valued gulf commodity that pound for pound fetches a higher price than oil.

Iran's economy is being choked by a tighter embargo on its oil by the U.S., France and to some extent Japan.

For at least the next two weeks, Mr. Clinton has set his hopes on a tighter embargo by the United Nations and stronger words from Washington.

Successful sanctions would also require a tight embargo, especially on oil, backed by a naval blockade.

It rejected an opposition resolution calling for a tighter embargo against Iraq and opposing the use of force in the Persian Gulf.

The current embargo applies to fuel and arms, but a tighter embargo would cover everything but items such as food and medicine.