Ray of hope on Iraqi inspections, says Blix

CHIEF UN inspector Hans Blix said yesterday he saw a beginning of Iraqi understanding that it must seriously observe UN demands for disarmament and that he believed further UN inspections were preferable to a quick US-led military strike.

"I perceive a beginning," Mr Blix said after two days of talks in Baghdad. "Breakthrough is a strong word for what we are seeing." However, he added: "I would much rather see inspections than some other solution," referring to Washington's threats to launch a military strike.

Mr Blix said he and UN nuclear chief Mohamed ElBaradei did not win immediate agreement on using American U-2 surveillance planes to assist with the inspections.

President George W Bush yesterday said Iraq has fooled the world for more than a decade about its banned weapons and the UN now faces "a moment of truth" in disarming Saddam Hussein.

"The United Nations gets to decide shortly whether or not it is going to be relevant in terms of keeping the peace, whether or not its words mean anything," he said.

During the two days of meetings, the Iraqis submitted a number of documents that are still being evaluated. Mr Blix said they related to outstanding issues of anthrax, VX nerve gas and missile development.

Mr Blix and Mr ElBaradei are to report to the UN Security Council on Friday. The report is expected to be pivotal in determining whether the US goes to war to disarm Iraq.

Meanwhile, the United Nations has been warned by European Parliament President Pat Cox that it must take a tough stand against Iraq if the weapons inspectors issue a negative report this week.

Mr Cox said actions of EU member states were in danger of undermining the UN, with some appearing to favour taking no action against Iraq while others seemed willing to act without a UN mandate.

The credibility of the UN is at stake and, if it fails to follow through on its promise of serious action against Saddam Hussein, it is in danger of becoming irrelevant.

Mr Cox called on EU leaders to unite behind the UN: "It is high time EU leaders got their act together: Europe's peoples expect no less." Mr Cox accused British prime minister Tony Blair and the other four prime ministers who broke ranks with their EU colleagues in a public letter supporting the US, of insulting the Greek presidency by failing to tell them of the letter.

Mr Cox, who is just completing his first year in office, said the fact that these politicians behaved in such a way did not bode well for the Convention on the Future of Europe.

The Convention currently drawing up a blueprint for the future development of the EU would need the politicians to put their weight behind it and show political will to make it a reality.

However, said Mr Cox: "You would not hold your breath if you take the Iraqi case."