Britain, struggling to rally support for war on Iraq, has seized on a finding that Iraq has missiles of prohibited range as proof Baghdad is defying the United Nations. However, Iraq has said the missiles are within UN limits.
The missile report gave Prime Minister Tony Blair fresh ammunition in the war of words among supposed NATO allies and the five members of the UN Security Council which have the power to veto any new resolution authorising military action.
A panel of independent arms experts told the UN the range of Iraq's Al Samoud 2 rockets exceeded, by up to 40 km, the 150-km limit laid down by UN arms controls.
"If these reports are correct... it is very serious," Mr Blair said after talks with Australian premier Mr John Howard.
"It would be not just a failure to declare and disclose information but a breach of resolution 1441," Mr Blair said.
Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister Tareq Aziz, arriving in Italy to put his case to Europe, countered: "We are still within limits that are decided by the United Nations."
The issue will reach a climax at the United Nations tomorrow when, at 3.15 Irish time, the chief UN weapons inspectors Dr Hans Blix and Dr Mohamed ElBaradei report to the Security Council.
Russian President Vladimir Putin was quoted in the French press as saying Russia might block further UN steps against Iraq.
"If it is necessary, we will use our veto, but I do not think it is helpful to get into debate about this at the moment," he said. Russian officials at the UN called the missile issue "a technical matter" rather than a serious violation of arms controls.
China has lined up with Russia and France to give the doves an apparent majority among the five Security Council veto powers over the United States and Britain, who say they want a further UN resolution but will go to war without one if necessary.
Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer said today that Germany - one of the 10 other members of the Council without a veto - said he did not think Iraq was in "material breach" of 1441.
Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder said a majority of the Council's 15 members supported Germany's position.
"Together with France, Russia and other partners the government is doing all it can for a peaceful resolution. That is possible and we are fighting for that," he told parliament.
Meanwhile, NATO grappled with one of the worst crises of its 54-year-old history, after France, Germany and Belgium blocked plans to send military aid to Turkey to help protect it against Iraq as a premature preparation for war.
German Defence Minister Peter Struck said today the deadlock would be broken by Saturday.