Britain and France prepared their armies for a possible US-led war in Iraq today despite continued reports that UN arms inspectors are yet to find evidence of weapons of mass destruction.
Britain called up its reserve forces and said it had authorised a "significant" amphibious force to be sent to the Gulf if needed.
Defence secretary Mr Geoff Hoon said about 1,500 reservists would initially be mobilised but others would be called up if necessary.
He said a naval task force already earmarked for the Gulf and Asia-Pacific would be reinforced with "the deployment of a number of additional vessels and units later this month which will represent a significant amphibious capability".
Mr Hoon signalled there would be more to come. "It is likely that we will want to make further deployments in the coming weeks for this same purpose," he said.
But he joined ranks of ministers, on and off the record, in insisting war on Iraq was not inevitable. "This does not mean that a decision has been taken to commit British forces to such operations," he said.
"But it is an essential enabling measure to ensure that if such operations become necessary they will be properly supported."
In Paris, President Jacques Chirac reminded French armed forces in a traditional New Year's greeting to be prepared for "all eventualities", hinting at the possibility of a war.
"We must pay attention to how Iraq fulfils Resolution 1441 of the United Nations Security Council," he said.
Earlier the director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said UN weapons inspectors still need "a few months" to complete their work in Iraq.
"It is too early to come to a conclusion," Mr Mohamed El-Baradei said in a television interview. "I think we need still a few months before we can reach that conclusion."
But he said: "I can say we're making progress, that we have not seen any evidence that they have revived their clandestine past nuclear programme".
The arms inspectors are due to report to the Security Council on Thursday but have to deliver a major assessment on Iraqi compliance with council resolutions on January 27th.
Agencies