Baghdad sounds conciliatory note

Iraq promised UN weapons experts more help on Monday, saying it was even forming its own teams of inspectors to search for banned weapons.Af...

Iraq promised UN weapons experts more help on Monday, saying it was even forming its own teams of inspectors to search for banned weapons.

After two days of showdown talks with Chief UN arms inspectors, held as US and British leaders warned Iraq was on course for war, Baghdad8217;s officials were eager to appear conciliatory.

President Saddam Hussein8217;s top adviser Amir Al-Saadi read a joint statement at a news conference in Baghdad with visiting inspection chiefs Hans Blix and Mohamed ElBaradei.

It said Iraq had handed more documents to inspectors, was clarifying others and was forming its own teams to search for suspicious items. UN inspectors discovered empty chemical warheads last week which Iraq had failed to report to the United Nations; Iraq said it had 8216;8216;forgotten8217;8217; about them.

The statement said Iraq would also encourage inspections of 8216;8216;private sites8217;8217; 8212; an apparent reference to places like the homes of leading scientists 8212; and to 8216;8216;private interviews8217;8217; 8212; referring to talks between UN inspectors and Iraqi technical experts without the presence of Iraqi government minders.

A cautious Blix said he was 8216;8216;fairly confident8217;8217; Iraq would honour its pledges. 8216;8216;We have solved a number of practical issues, not all,8217;8217; he told the news conference.

8216;8216;On the substantive issues relating to anthrax, VX nerve agent and a number of Scud missiles, we have not discussed that. That is to be discussed some time in the future.8217;8217;

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There was no mention in the statement of taking scientists outside Iraq for interviews, as Washington has demanded on the grounds that the interviewees need protection from reprisals.

Britain was expected to announce on Monday the mobilisation of 8,000 more troops to join the tens of thousands of US troops already massed in the Gulf. France signalled Washington and London would have their work cut out to build international support, particularly if no concrete evidence emerged against Iraq.

8216;8216;If the United States decide to intervene alone, we will have to say that that will happen outside of the international community,8217;8217; President Jacques Chirac told Le Figaro daily. Reuters