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.