More Iraq inspectors just 'recipe for delay'

Foreign Secretary Jack Straw warned today that French and German proposals for more United Nations weapons inspectors in Iraq were simply "a recipe for procrastination and delay".

In a speech to the International Institute for Strategic Studies in London, Mr Straw said that the plans floated by Paris and Berlin simply would not work.

He said that if chief UN weapons inspector Hans Blix brought forward another negative report on Iraqi co-operation when he briefed the Security Council on Friday, the case for a fresh resolution authorising force would

be "overwhelming".

Mr Straw said that the reported Franco-German proposals, which also included the extension of the no-fly zones over the whole of Iraq and the introduction of thousands of "blue helmeted" UN troops, would only work if they had the complete co-operation of Saddam Hussein.

If the Iraqi dictator had been prepared to co-operate fully with the inspectors they simply would not be necessary.

"Nothing in Saddam's performance can give any confidence that any of these proposals would in any way change his behaviour," Mr Straw said.

"Instead they are a recipe for procrastination and for delay."

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