Blair warns Saddam to comply with UN wishes

Tony Blair has warned Saddam Hussein that he must comply fully with United Nations arms inspectors when they arrive in Iraq next week.

After a meeting in Downing Street with Hans Blix, the leader of the UN arms inspections team, the Prime Minister reiterated his demand for President Saddam to co-operate or face military action.

The United States and Russia also urged Iraq to disarm fully in accordance with UN Security Council resolution 1441, which orders Iraq to give up weapons of mass destruction.

Mr Blix held a 30-minute meeting with the Prime Minister on his way back from Baghdad to brief him on an initial visit to Iraq. A Downing Street spokesman said: "The Prime Minister stressed his support for the work of Dr Blix's inspection team. He also underlined his determination to see the full implementation of the Security Council resolution."

Mr Blix was said to have held "constructive" talks with Iraqi officials to begin the process of preparing facilities for his inspectors to start work.

The joint American-Russian statement read: "We call on Iraq, in strict compliance with resolution 1441, to co-operate fully and unconditionally in its disarmament obligations or face serious consequences." The declaration – released as George Bush and Russia's President, Vladimir Putin, met near St Petersburg to discuss Iraq – did not specifically threaten military action.

The first contingent of 18 inspectors arrives in Baghdad on Monday and is expected to start work two days later.

Iraq has accepted the UN resolution, which gives inspectors unfettered access to all sites, and has promised full co-operation. But it has not yet produced an updated list of names of scientists who have worked on nuclear, chemical and biological weapons and long-range missiles, as required by the resolution.