US asks Nato for indirect support over war

The United States has asked its Nato allies for indirect support in the event of war with Iraq, including the deployment of hardware to protect Turkey, a member of the alliance, in case it faces retaliation for allowing forces to use its air bases.

Washington wants help in an array of areas, including using Nato's planning facilities to co-ordinate efforts such as transport for troops and equipment, mid-air refueling, or even air cover to ground troops. America also seeks to use Nato surveillance planes, minesweepers or naval patrol ships.

The requests do not refer to direct engagement inside Iraq. A priority is the provision of missiles to shield Turkey. "These are prudent contingency proposals so that in the event that we would be called upon to show solidarity with Turkey, we would be positioned militarily to do so," one Nato official said.

UN inspectors descended on Saddam Hussein's main palace in central Baghdad yesterday. The teams stayed away from the Iraqi leader's offices in the Republican Palace, focusing on other government buildings in the complex.

The inspection, which lasted three and a half hours, was delayed slightly while the UN team waited for Iraqi officials to deliver keys needed to open four safes, which they duly did. Whether President Saddam was inside the compound when the inspectors paid their visit was not clear. The palace is on the banks of the Tigris.

Meanwhile, Alexander Saltanov, the Russian deputy foreign minister, travelled to Baghdad for talks on the crisis. Russia continues to press for a diplomatic, rather than military, solution.