Inspectors return for Iraqi talks

The chief UN arms monitors today said “some progress” was being made towards greater Iraqi cooperation, but that “time is running out” for Baghdad.

“We need to see proactive cooperation as soon as possible,” said chief nuclear inspector Mohamed ElBaradei after meeting officials in the Iraqi capital.

ElBaradei and chief weapons inspector Hans Blix today returned for a second, final round of discussions at the Foreign Ministry.

The talks could prove critical in shaping a progress report to be given to the Security Council next week by the inspectors, who are hunting for evidence of weapons of mass destruction.