Iraq said today UN arms expert Dr Hans Blix's demand that it destroy its al-Samoud 2 missiles was still under debate.
"The subject is being discussed," Iraq's Vice President Mr Taha Yassin Ramadan said in televised remarks from a summit of the Non-Aligned Movement in Kuala Lumpur.
"Our co-operation and relations with (UN weapons inspectors) are continuing," he told reporters after being asked whether Baghdad would agree to destroy the missiles.
Another ruling Baath Party member said in Baghdad that the missile issue could be resolved through dialogue.
"Iraq is ready to address a request by Mr Blix on Iraqi missiles through technical dialogue," Mr Saad Qasim Hammoudi told Reuters.
Dr Blix demanded on Friday that Iraq begin by March 1st to destroy its Al-Samoud 2 missiles, along with their engines and warheads, in a key test of Iraq's willingness to comply with UN requirements.
An expert panel had concluded that the missiles exceeded by 33 kilometres the 150 kilometres maximum range permitted by the UN Security Council in a 1991 resolution.
Mr Hammoudi said Dr Blix's decision to destroy the missiles should take into consideration "Iraq's concerns on defending itself, otherwise the inspection teams are paving the way to weaken Iraq's defensive ability".
He said the missile issue should be solved between Iraq and the UN inspectors, without "American pressure". The head of Iraq's weapons monitoring department, Mr Hussam Mohammad Amin, is expected to discuss the missile issue at a news conference later today.