Rerun in Gulf

DUBAI, Jan 13: Iraq triggered a new face off with the United States and United Nations today by ordering a halt to weapons inspections by a ...

DUBAI, Jan 13: Iraq triggered a new face off with the United States and United Nations today by ordering a halt to weapons inspections by a UN team led by an American it alleged was a spy.

The crisis began after Baghdad questioned the composition of the 16-member UN weapons expert team comprising nine Americans, five Britons, one Australian and one Russian.

8220;Iraq has decided to stop the work of the inspection team headed by the American Scott Ritter and to withdraw permission for him to undertake any activities8230; starting from today,8221; the official Iraqi news agency INA said.

US President Bill Clinton responded with a strong warning to Iraq and the United Nations served notice saying the team would go ahead with its work.

Iraqi envoy to the United Nations Nizar Hamdoon said in New York that Baghdad had no plans to expel Ritter but could not accept an inspection team drawn almost entirely from America and its closest big power ally, Britain.

Rejecting Baghdad8217;s complaint, Clinton said 8220;certainly Saddam Hussein shouldn8217;t be able to pick and choose who does this work. That8217;s for the United Nations.8221;

At the United Nations, chief Weapons Inspector Richard Butler of Australia, who is known to be very close to the Clinton administration, said inspections would continue as planned.

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Meanwhile, the UN team today called off its planned inspection because Iraq blocked its work, Ritter said in Baghdad.

8220;Unfortunately, the Government of Iraq has undertaken not to provide government officials to facilitate the inspection,8221; Ritter told reporters.8220;The refusal to provide these officers means we cannot carry out our inspection,8221; he said. 8220;We have no choice but to postpone our inspection today,8221; Ritter said.

The United States in November massed some 30 warships and more than 25O fighter planes and bombers in the Gulf after Iraq expelled American members of UN arms inspection team. A three-week standoff ended only after Russia smothered over the row by securing the return of other inspectors.

Russia promised to work for UN sanctions against Iraq to be eased. Baghdad has persistently demanded a balanced team saying the American and Britons are prolonging and delaying the conclusion of the inspection work.