Iraq urged to cooperate with UN

Iraq can avoid war and spare the entire region “serious consequences” by co-operating with weapons inspectors, the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency said today.

Mohamed ElBaradei, director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency, said in Cairo: “I believe that the war is not imminent or inevitable and it can be avoided through co-operation with inspectors. Inspections are Iraq’s only opportunity to avoid war.”.

If Iraq does not ensure the inspections come to a successful end, “Iraq knows that there will be serious consequences not only on Iraq but the entire region,” he said.