Russia condemns Washington for piling pressure on inspectors

Tensions between veto-holding members of the UN Security Council grew yesterday after Russia said pressure was being exerted on weapons inspectors to give a negative assessment of Iraqi compliance or to accept they will have to leave the country soon.

Russia's outburst, which appeared to be directed at the United States, came as Washington and London continued to agonise over the timing and content of a new resolution to authorise disarming Iraq by military means. It is expected to surface early next week.

"Inspectors are being subjected to very strong pressure in order to provoke their departure from Iraq, or to present to the Security Council assessments which could be used as a pretext for the use of force against Iraq," said Igor Ivanov, the Russian Foreign Minister.

Mr Ivanov did not mention America directly. Hans Blix, the chief weapons inspector, receives diplomats from Security Council members almost daily in New York, all of whom impress their views on him. Any fresh sign of impatience from Moscow is certain to jangle British and American nerves. China, France and Russia each have veto power in the Council and have all voiced their preference to hold off the military option.

"We urge the international inspectors to continue to fulfil their professional activity objectively," Mr Ivanov added.

Even without a veto, Britain and America face an uphill task in finding the nine votes for a new resolution.There were signs, meanwhile, that they would make clear to other members that they would not tolerate debate in the Security Council beyond 14 March.