Disarmament is the issue: Powell

Powell made clear he believed Iraqi President Saddam Hussein was trying to stall for time amid growing speculation of a strike against him.

“Inspections are not the issue, disarmament is the issue and making certain that they have no weapons of mass destruction and they did what they were supposed to do but we know they haven’t.”

Under the terms of a U.N. agreement Saddam Hussein signed in 1991, Iraq was to end its weapon programmes and destroy its weapons of mass destruction.

In a letter to U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan on Thursday, Iraqi Foreign Minister Naji Sabri invited chief arms inspector Hans Blix to Baghdad for talks.

U.N. arms experts left Iraq in December 1998 on the eve of a U.S.-British bombing campaign to punish Baghdad for not cooperating with the arms experts. Accounting for Iraq’s weapons of mass destruction is key to suspending U.N. sanctions, imposed when Iraq invaded Kuwait in August 1990.

Hinting that Iraq might allow inspectors back, Sabri said the talks could “establish a solid basis” for the next stage of monitoring and inspection activities.

“LOOKING FOR A WAY OUT”

“You can tell from the language the Iraqis have now sent…to the U.N. that they are looking for a comprehensive review. They are looking for some way to get out of the clear requirement they have,” Powell said.

White House National Security Council spokesman Sean McCormack told reporters the United States was demanding completely “unfettered” inspections of Iraq’s weapons of mass destruction programs.

Powell repeated U.S. comments that no decision had been taken on military action against Iraq but that the Bush administration still wanted Saddam’s regime replaced.

“We have not yet decided to make any moves militarily. As we have said previously the president does not have a plan on his desk,” Powell said, adding that President Bush supported inspections.

McCormack, on his way to join Bush at Kennebunkport, Maine, echoed Powell’s views on inspections, which were put in place after U.S.-led forces ejected Iraq from Kuwait in 1991.

“There’s no discussion necessary. Saddam Hussein needs to live up to the terms of the agreement he signed in 1991,” he said, referring to agreements calling for the end of Iraqi weapon programs. “He has failed to live up to that…Inspections were a means to an end, they were never an end in and of themselves.”