More inspections, not conflict, say Europeans

The Iraqi UN Ambassador, Mohammed Aldouri, insisted Iraq had co-operated with the weapons inspectors after hearing the statements from Hans Blix and Mohamed al-Baradei.

He said: "We have no hidden reports at all. We gave everything and we put it in our report with the 12,000 pages and I think they have to carefully read this report. We remain ready to actively co-operate, as we have done in the past, to respond to any doubts."

But the US ambassador, John Negroponte, insisted that Baghdad was "not co-operating unconditionally". And he added: "In the days ahead, we believe the Council and its member governments must face its responsibilities and consider what message Council irresolution sends to Iraq and other proliferators."

Most other key players said the UN inspectors should be given more time.

Yesterday, the French President, Jacques Chirac, said the inspections should go on, although he added that Iraq should co-operate more.

France, a veto-holding permanent member of the Security Council, has said any resort to force would require a second UN resolution.

The German Foreign Minister, Joschka Fischer, agreed that the work of the inspectors must go on.

"War is no alternative," he said, adding: "I think one can conclude that the inspectors are doing a great job which should definitely go on."

Germany holds one of the 10 rotating seats on the Security Council and has ruled out voting in favour of war in the event of a new UN resolution on Iraq, worsening already strained relations with the United States.

Turkey's deputy prime minister, speaking shortly before Mr Blix presented his report said that Iraq had put up a "white flag" of surrender, but said, the United States, was still looking for war.

Ertugrul Yalcinbayir attacked the intentions of the United States, saying: "You'll declare war against an Iraq that has surrendered and that has taken out its white flag ... Iraq right now is saying peace. Iraq is in a position that it has surrendered everything."