Iraq dismisses British compromise proposal

Iraq's Foreign Minister Naji Sabri today dismissed a British compromise proposal on a US-backed resolution to the UN Security Council, calling it "an attempt to beautify a rejected aggressive project".

"It's trying to polish this project, which has been rejected by the majority of Security Council members," he told journalists.

Sabri also said that a high-level Arab peace mission that was scheduled to travel to Baghdad this week would not come, although he said Iraq had not rejected the visit.

"We did not refuse to receive the Arab committee," Sabri said. "They are coming not for tourism. They are coming for work, and this requires measures."

"We are trying to agree on a time appropriate for both sides," he added.

The British proposal to give Iraq a six-point list of disarmament tasks or face war appeared to be a compromise because the United States and Britain are having trouble winning support for a Monday deadline for Saddam Hussein to disarm or face war.

Proponents of the resolution have been having trouble rounding up the nine Security Council votes needed for the measure to be approved.

Asked about divisions on the Security Council, Sabri said it wasn't divided at all.

"These are not divisions. There is a majority on the Security Council rejecting the policy of war adopted by British and American evil," he said. "This majority adheres to peace."