February 28th, 1991 - Gulf War ends, leaving Iraq subject to UN sanctions and arms inspections.October 29th, 1997 - Iraq expels UN weapons inspectors, provoking a diplomatic crisis which is defused with a Russian-brokered compromise.The inspectors return on November 20th.
January 13th, 1998 - Iraq blocks an inspection team, claiming it has a disproportionate share of US and British members.
A week later inspectors are refused access to presidential sites.
February 23rd, 1998 - UN Secretary General Kofi Annan announces a deal on weapons inspections after meeting Saddam Hussein in Baghdad. It secures full Iraqi co-operation and access for inspectors.
October 31st, 1998 - Iraq ceases co-operation with the UN Special Commission but allows inspections to resume 14 days later.
June 30th, 1999 - Richard Butler completes his two-year term as executive chairman of the UN Special Commission.
December 16th, 1998 - The UN orders weapons inspectors out of the country after they conclude that Iraq is refusing to co-operate. US air strikes on Iraq begin hours later.
July 5th, 2002 - Ongoing UN-Iraq talks end without agreement on inspections as Baghdad seeks assurances that sanctions will be lifted.
July 31st, 2002 - Richard Butler tells a US Senate committee that Iraq stepped up the production of chemical and biological weapons after UN inspections ended and might even be close to developing a nuclear bomb.
September 12, 2002 - President Bush addresses the UN General Assembly calling for a new Security Council resolution and for action within weeks.
September 16, 2002 - Iraq agrees to allow UN weapons inspectors to return to the country without conditions. - (PA)