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UN officials to say Iraq is not providing answers
( 2003-01-09 10:57 ) (7 )

UN arms inspectors are expected to report on Thursday that Iraq has still failed to answer key questions, providing possible fresh ammunition for Washington's case for war.

As the world watched for clues on how close fingers were to triggers for war, EU president Greece said on Wednesday it would launch a peace mission, US President George W. Bush met his top general and Iraq fired new salvoes of defiant words.

UN experts said on the eve of the report to the United Nations Security Council that Iraq had not cleared up issues about biological and chemical programmes, including 6,000 missing poison gas bombs.

But Hans Blix, in charge of chemical, biological and ballistic arms inspections, and International Atomic Energy Agency director-general Mohamed ElBaradei have made clear their teams have not been in Iraq long enough to uncover any weapons of mass destruction.

Washington and London say they have intelligence Iraq has such weapons and have threatened war unless Iraq comes clean. Iraq denies having any nuclear, biological or chemical arms.

A fuller report by Blix and ElBaradei on January 27 is widely seen as possible showdown time for war if Iraq fails to satisfy the weapons inspectors. But diplomats say that report may not include any dramatic disclosures either.

The United States and Britain have already said there were holes in Iraq's arms declaration to the United Nations in December, and Washington has gone further in saying the gaps put Baghdad in material breach of UN resolutions.

Other countries, especially in the Muslim world, have opposed any military action unless hard evidence emerges that Iraq has banned weapons.

Bush has warned that the United States may fight alone if the United Nations does not take action against Iraq, even though his closest ally Britain has stressed any war should have broad, global support.

GREECE SURPRISES OTHER EU MEMBERS

Greece's announcement that it would lead a European Union mission to Arab states surprised other members of the bloc whose attitudes on Iraq vary widely -- from staunch British support for Washington to Germany's refusal to get involved in combat.

The trip was timed to start around the time of the UN Security Council's January 27 meeting on Iraq.

There was no immediate response to the Greek initiative in Washington but in London a Foreign Office official said any effort to get Iraq to honour UN resolutions was welcome.

"On the trip we want to see if we can have a positive development on Iraq," Greek Foreign Minister George Papandreou told Reuters TV, adding he would urge Arab nations to play a bigger role in mediating between the United States and Iraq.

"As EU president we have decided we cannot just wait for things to happen," a close Papandreou aide told Reuters.

A Greek Foreign Ministry official said the mission was likely to be in late January or early February and would take in Syria, Jordan, Lebanon, Iran, Egypt and Saudi Arabia as well as meetings with Palestinian and Israeli officials.

In the now daily war of words between Baghdad and Washington, Saddam warned the United States it might have superiority in the air but the American GI's 21st-century kit would count for nothing in face-to-face fighting.

His only concern seemed to be ensuring his troops had enough to eat amid tight Iraqi food rations.

"It is enough to have grenades, launchers, a loaf of bread, a drink of water and a rifle. Then, counting on God, Iraq will be safe...unless the fighter says he has no bread or no water to drink," Saddam said.

US Army General Tommy Franks, due to lead any American war against Iraq, briefed US President George W. Bush and his national security team on Wednesday as the US and British military build-up in the Gulf region gathered pace.

The Pentagon is pouring warplanes, ships and thousands of troops into the region. It plans to double the 60,000 already there and is sending war planners to a base in Qatar.

UN inspectors, backed by a tough Security Council resolution passed in November, searched at least eight sites in Iraq on Wednesday. They returned to Iraq in late November after a four-year absence.