Iraq is studying a new UN resolution that demands an intrusive hunt for its alleged arms of mass destruction and will issue a decision in the coming few days, the official Iraqi News Agency (INA) said today.
"Despite that the resolution 1441 adopted by the Security Council is bad and unjust, the leadership of Iraq is studying it calmly and will take the necessary decision in the next few days," INA said, quoting an official Iraqi source.
Iraq's official media said the resolution gave Washington an excuse to attack Baghdad.
The Babelnewspaper, owned by President Saddam Hussein's son Uday, said Saddam would not give the US an excuse to attack.
"Iraq has nothing to conceal and UN weapons inspectors are welcome," Babelsaid. It gave no details, but analysts in Iraq said it could mean Baghdad would accept the resolution.
The Iraqi Foreign Minister Mr Naji Sabri said in Egypt that by adopting UN Security Council resolution 1441 "the international community has aborted a decision by the United States to use force against Iraq."
Sabri was speaking following a meeting with Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Maher to discuss the Iraqi crisis and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
"We are in the process of studying the resolution in Baghdad and Iraq's position will be announced later," he told journalists.
Specifically asked if Iraq would comply with the terms of the resolution, which calls on it to get rid of all of its alleged weapons of mass destruction or face "serious consequences", Sabri said Baghdad "would study the resolution and adopt an appropriate position."