Iraq won't co-operate with new UN resolution

2:00pm

Baghdad - Iraq said last night it would not co-operate with any new United Nations Security Council resolution that runs contrary to an agreement reached with UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan.

"Iraq announces that it will not co-operate with a new resolution which is different to what was agreed upon with the (UN) secretary-general," said a statement issued following a meeting of top Iraqi leaders chaired by President Saddam Hussein and carried by the state-run Baghdad radio.

The United States and Britain have stepped up pressure on the Security Council to adopt a tough new Iraq resolution before any resumption of UN arms inspections.

British UN Ambassador Sir Jeremy Greenstock met the 10 non-permanent members of the 15-nation Security Council at the weekend to lobby for a new resolution demanding unfettered access for the arms experts and spelling out the consequences if Baghdad failed to co-operate with teams searching for weapons of mass destruction, as required by past council resolutions.

The inspectors were withdrawn from Iraq in December 1998, just before a US-British bombing blitz designed to punish Baghdad for its alleged failure to co-operate with them.

The United States has threatened Baghdad with military action if it does not allow the unconditional return of UN inspectors.

- REUTERS

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