The European Union insisted today that Iraq must "immediately" let UN weapons inspectors back into the country, as it sought to play down any talk of war from the United States.
But EU foreign ministers, at a meeting in Denmark, failed to give a deadline for Baghdad to re-admit inspectors, while distancing themselves from the threats of pre-emptive war evoked recently by US leaders.
"The Iraqi regime must allow the weapon inspectors in and it must do it immediately to ascertain whether there are weapons of mass destruction or not," said Danish Foreign Minister Per Stig Moeller.
The Iraqi issue clouded the two-day meeting even though the agenda was officially focussed on EU enlargement and the Middle East.
German Foreign Minister Mr Joschka Fischer was among the most outspoken critics of attacks on Baghdad, saying it would be a serious mistake.
British Foreign Minister Mr Jack Straw also appeared to backtrack from war talk, saying the first priority was weapons inspectors.
AFP