Iraq agrees to UN terms for inspections

THE chief UN weapons inspector for Iraq said yesterday that tentative agreement has been reached with Baghdad for the return of weapons inspectors to check for the presence of illegal, nuclear, chemical or biological weapons.

The Iraqi representatives have said "that they accept all the rights of inspections that are laid down" in previous resolutions authorising UN inspections, said the chief inspector, Hans Blix.

Iraq said an advance party of inspectors was due in Baghdad in two weeks.

Suggesting that little stood in the way for the resumption of inspections, Amir Al Sadi, the head of the Iraqi negotiation team, said: "We expect the advance party to arrive in Baghdad in about two weeks."

Mr Al Sadi declined to outline specifics on what was agreed but suggested terms of the inspection would be regulated by previous UN Security Council resolutions.

That would keep spontaneous inspection of Saddam Hussein's presidential palaces a US demand off the agenda.

Mr Blix said the talks focused on practical aspects of the renewed inspections.