US sneers at Iraq's offer to allow inspectors back

NEW YORK - The United States yesterday denounced Iraq's offer to readmit weapons inspectors unconditionally as a manoeuvre to avoid tough international action.

But other nations cautiously welcomed President Saddam Hussein's offer.

The US, whose declared policy is to seek Saddam's removal, vowed to work for a tough new United Nations resolution that would permit the use of force if Iraq refused to comply with a deadline on inspections.

The White House treated the Iraqi move with disdain, saying Saddam could not be trusted.

"This is a tactical step by Iraq in hopes of avoiding strong UN Security Council action. As such, it is a tactic that will fail," White House spokesman Scott McClellan said.

A State Department official said the US intended to go forward with its resolution, adding that only concerted world pressure and the threat of action had made Saddam blink.

Russia said no new resolution was necessary as long as the inspectors went back to work.

French Foreign Minister Dominique de Villepin said the council had several options to consider, but insisted that Iraq could not be let off the hook. "Saddam Hussein must now be held to his words."

The Prime Minister, Helen Clark, called Baghdad's move good news and said 10 New Zealand military personnel would be part of the UN inspection team.

She said the personnel could have a number of roles, including administration, communication and transport, as well as providing scientific, technical and weapons expertise.

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

Many countries are likely to seize on Iraq's latest offer as removing any immediate justification for military action.

"We have managed to deflect the threat of a military scenario and to steer the process back to the political channel," said Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov.

No new resolutions were needed, he said, according to the Itar-Tass news agency.

Russia, France, China, Britain and the United States are permanent members of the Security Council and hold veto power.

"This is the beginning of a process of easing the tensions," Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Maher said.

Arab countries, which view Israel's occupation of Palestinian and other Arab lands as a greater threat to regional stability than Iraq, oppose any attack on Baghdad that lacks UN Security Council authorisation.

Australia, which takes part in the multinational naval force blockading Iraq in the Gulf, cautiously welcomed Baghdad's decision.

"On the face of it, without wishing to be locked into this position, it does sound like a promising development," Foreign Minister Alexander Downer said.

Helen Clark said: "The key thing is that Iraq has moved after intense diplomatic pressure. The Arab states have been putting a lot of effort into that. I think we just want to see the weapons inspectors in there as soon as possible."

Foreign Minister Phil Goff expected an advance weapons inspection team would be sent to Iraq almost immediately.

"They would want a build-up to full strength within a period of about a month. We will pull out all the stops to try to comply with whatever the need might be."

In Baghdad, Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister Tariq Aziz said that Iraq had thwarted any justification for a United States-led attack by allowing the unconditional return of UN arms inspectors. "All the reasons for an attack have been eliminated."

Hans Blix, the chief UN weapons inspector, welcomed the news and said he was ready for immediate talks on the arrangements for the resumption of inspections.

Under the 1991 Gulf War ceasefire terms, the inspectors must verify the dismantling of any Iraqi weapons programmes and long-range missiles before sanctions can be suspended.

- REUTERS

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