Britain claims report justifies tough stance

BRITAIN’S Foreign Secretary Jack Straw seized on the Blix report last night as “clear evidence” that his country’s tough stand against Iraq is fully justified.

He emerged from EU talks in Brussels echoing the chief weapons inspector's confirmation that Iraqi co-operation with the hunt for weapons of mass destruction has been "co-operation on process but not on substance".

Mr Straw, who earlier put Britain's name to an EU statement insisting that Iraq must provide "complete information" to UN weapons inspectors, said: "There is clear evidence that Saddam Hussein is not involved in effective co-operation but is practising concealment.