Iraq hints at compliance as US adjusts resolution

President George Bush met senior officials last night to discuss changes to a new United Nations resolution on Iraq that could be put to the vote at the Security Council this week. In Baghdad, meanwhile, Saddam Hussein hinted that he would submit to a UN resolution and assist in weapons inspections.

Diplomats said Washington was likely to make slight adjustments to a draft resolution tabled at the UN Security Council two weeks ago to take account of objections, notably from France and Russia. The revised draft could be circulated in New York by Wednesday.

President Saddam said on official Iraqi television: "If a resolution is issued which respects the UN Charter, international law and Iraq's sovereignty, security and independence, and does not provide a cover for America's ill intentions, we will view it in a way that makes us deal with it."But he repeated that he thought a new resolution was unnecessary and warned that it should not be used by the US as permission to attack Iraq.

Tony Blair said he thought the UN seemed close to adopting the text. "We are reaching the point of closure, I think," the Prime Minister said. "I don't want to prejudge the negotiations, but they are proceeding satisfactorily. The absolutely critical issue for us is that we get an inspection regime in there that doesn't have the problems the last one had."

The new draft is expected to affirm that Iraq is in "material breach" of existing resolutions on weapons of mass destruction. But Washington will agree to wait for the chief weapons inspector, Hans Blix, to report on any notable obstruction by Iraq and to discuss options for a response, including military action, with the Security Council.