Weapons hunt resumes in Iraq

UN arms monitors have returned to their meticulous hunt for weapons of mass destruction as the chief inspectors insisted Iraq needed to demonstrate drastic change in its co-operation with the mission to disarm Saddam Hussein.

A day earlier, US Secretary of State Colin Powell laid out a carefully prepared case before the Security Council that Iraq had defied demands that it disarm -- a case that Iraq dismissed as a collection of "stunts" and "special effects" designed to create a pretext for war.

Powell's accusations were likely to increase pressure on the Iraqis to come forward with new information when chief inspectors Hans Blix and Mohamed ElBaradei travel to Baghdad this weekend for two days of talks before their next report to the Security Council on February 14.

ElBaradei and Blix stopped in London today for talks with Prime Minister Tony Blair and underlined that time for action was limited.

"Iraq is not co-operating fully, they need to show drastic change in terms of co-operation," said ElBaradei, the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency.

"We need to show progress in our report." ElBaradei said. "Our mission in Baghdad this weekend is crucial."

Powell said he would be watching the trip closely to see "whether they bring back anything of use for Security Council deliberations" next week.

In a 75 minute televised presentation, Powell used satellite pictures, recorded telephone intercepts and defectors' statements to provide what he called "irrefutable and undeniable" evidence that Saddam was hiding weapons of mass destruction.

"The issue before us," Powell said, "is not how much time we are willing to give the inspectors to be frustrated by Iraqi obstruction, but how much longer are we willing to put up with Iraq's non-compliance before we as a council, we as the United Nations say: 'Enough. Enough."'

Powell's presentation was not shown by Iraq's state television, and today's Baghdad newspapers, which are under tight government control, made no mention of Powell's remarks.

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