Annan gives Iraq terms over weapon inspectors

UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan has told Iraq in a no-nonsense letter that if it wants weapons inspectors to return, it must accept the Security Council’s terms - and he urged Baghdad to say yes.

Annan was responding to Iraq’s invitation last week for chief inspector Hans Blix to visit Baghdad for technical talks which for the first time mentioned the return of inspectors who have been barred from the country for nearly four years.