Invasion threat may halt Iraq arms checks - UN chief

Washington’s war-like stance may discourage rather than persuade Saddam Hussein to allow weapons inspectors to return to Iraq, leader of the United Nations monitoring team conceded today.

Members of US President George Bush’s team have signalled that the “regime change” is a far higher priority than resuming inspections.

And his National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice fuelled speculation that an attack would take place when she spelt out the 'very powerful moral case' for toppling the dictator last week.

However, chief UN weapons inspector Hans Blix insisted that getting his team into Iraq was the UNs’ sole goal.

His team was eager to contribute to a 'non-belligerent solution' to the current stand-off but that could be difficult if Saddam thought a US strike was inevitable, he said.

"If the Iraqis conclude that an invasion by someone is inevitable then they might conclude that it is not very meaningful to have inspections," he told BBC1’s Breakfast with Frost.

Mr Blix declined to comment directly on Ms Rice’s remarks, saying it was not his job to comment on the Iraqi regime.

Baghdad had not responded to his attempts to agree the practical steps such as flights, travel and accommodation, needed for the team to enter Iraq, he said.

However, Mr Blix insisted it was still possible that they would be allowed in under terms acceptable to the UN.

And he said: "My conviction is that the worry, the concern, that they may retain weapons of mass destruction is a very important element both in Washington and anywhere else.

"And if inspectors are allowed in and if they are given really unfettered access with no delays etc then I think this might play an important role and we would be eager to do that and to help towards a non-belligerent solution."