Global Policy Forum

Chief UN weapons inspector Hans Blix said his teams should be given "a few more months" to work in Iraq, in an interview to be published here on Thursday. "Even if Iraq immediately, actively and unconditionally cooperates with us, we would still need a few more months," Blix told the German weekly Die Zeit.

Blix was asked whether he would demand more time for inspections during a report to the United Nations Security Council on March 7. "At the moment it is not even clear whether the Iraqis really want to cooperate. On the other hand this country had eight years of inspections, four years without them, and now 12 weeks with them. Is it the right time to close the door?" said Blix, whose comments were published in German.

Blix said that Baghdad had cooperated "substantially" with his inspectors but added that "Iraq could do more and it would be acknowledged".

A key test will be whether Iraq meets a Blix demand for the destruction by March 1 of the Al-Samoud 2 missiles, found by the UN to be exceeding the allowed range of 150 kilometers (90 miles).

The destruction of these missiles "is not negotiable", Blix told reporters in New York on Tuesday. The head of the UN Monitoring, Verification and Inspection Commission (UNMOVIC) said that the authority of the Security Council was "on the line" in enforcing Iraq disarmament and that this task could only be achieved with a credible threat of force.

"We need a united and resolved Security Council," Blix said. He welcomed Germany's decision to abandon its categorical rejection of war against Baghdad even with a UN resolution sanctioning military action.

Germany has now united with France and Russia in calling force "the last resort" in dealing with Iraqi President Saddam Hussein. Berlin joined the Security Council as a non-permanent member in January for two years and holds the rotating presidency for the month of February.

The Die Zeit interview was conducted after the United States, together with Britain and Spain, presented a draft resolution to the UN on Monday that would pave the way for the use of force.

Blix said that he was convinced that the United States was not actively seeking a war with Iraq. "I am fairly convinced that Washington itself does not want a war," Blix said. "I am talking about (President George W.) Bush and his entire team."

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