IRAQ: Chief UN weapons inspector Mr Hans Blix yesterday ruled out a visit to Baghdad for talks on renewed arms inspections, as the war of words increased between Iraq and the Bush administration.
"Psychologically, I think it would be better that an official of my political standing does not go to Baghdad before they [the Iraqis] accept inspections," Mr Blix told the Arabic-language Al-Hayat newspaper.
Holding talks in Baghdad with Iraqi authorities at this stage "will raise expectations without foundation," said the Swede, who heads the UN Monitoring, Verification and Inspection Commission (UNMOVIC), which has never set foot in Iraq.
In a letter to the UN Secretary General, Mr Kofi Annan, late on Thursday, the Iraqi Foreign Minister, Mr Naji Sabri, extended an invitation to Mr Blix and members of his team to discuss the possible resumption of weapons inspections, halted in December 1998.
But Mr Blix said the chances of a possible war against Baghdad would go up if he were to visit but talks were unsuccessful. "The situation will be much worse if I visit Baghdad and the talks fail. We do not want hopes raised."
He added that he was ready for talks with Iraqi officials on the method of future inspections if Baghdad accepted that they resume "conforming to UN resolutions". - (AFP)
Michael Jansen adds: Many Arabs believe Washington put pressure on Mr Blix to reject Iraq's invitation, which was ridiculed by the US as soon as it was issued. Analysts argue that Washington does not want to relaunch the inspection effort because it could enable Iraq to postpone or escape a US military campaign to topple the Iraqi President, Mr Saddam Hussein.
Concern over the steady build-up to war is bringing regional powers together. On Saturday, the Saudi Foreign Minister, Prince Saudi al-Faisal, paid a visit to Tehran to deliver a letter from Saudi Crown Prince Abdullah to the Iranian President, Mr Muhammad Khatami.
"We have a common position with Iran," the prince stated. "We oppose any military attack against Islamic and regional countries and we are both opposed to any military attack against Iraq." He welcomed Iraq's invitation to Mr Blix. "The return of weapons inspectors is the most appropriate way to ensure the safety of Iraq and its people," the prince asserted.
Rapprochement between Saudi Arabia and Iran, former ideological competitors, was effected after Mr Khatami's election in 1997. A long-standing US ally, Saudi Arabia fears a US campaign against Iraq would destabilise the entire Gulf and put pro-Western rulers in danger of being ousted by their own people.
Iran, which fought a war with Iraq between 1980-88, has consistently urged Iraq to implement UN resolutions so that the US does not have any pretext to take military action. Tehran's conservative clerics, who are antagonistic to the US, also fear that the removal of Mr Saddam Hussein could encourage Washington to use force to topple other leaders.