Blix recieves Iraq nerve gas letter

The United States has rejected out of hand a proposal by Chile to give Saddam Hussein a last chance to disarm peacefully, leaving no compromise in sight and casting further doubt on any United Nations backing for war.

Some diplomats said privately that diplomacy was dead and the only question left was whether US president George Bush and his British and Spanish counterparts would decide at their summit tomorrow to drop their resolution giving Saddam a Monday ultimatum to prove Iraq was disarming or face bloodshed - or put it to a vote and face certain defeat. Nine votes – and no vetoes – are needed to pass.