The head of the UN's nuclear watchdog has said Iraq must "move forward" on issues surrounding co-operation before an invitation for talks in Baghdad was accepted.
Iraq said yesterday it was inviting UN Chief Weapon Inpector Dr Hans Blix and Dr Mohammed El Baradei of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) for talks before they make another progress report to the UN Security Council on February 14th.
But Dr El Baradei said they would consider the invitation to Baghdad if Iraq eased objections to surveillance flights by U2 spy planes and did more to ensure interviews with Iraqi scientists without Iraqi minders.
"We need to make sure before we go that they are ready to move forward on these issues," he said in Vienna.
Dr Blix said yesterday there was still no evidence to suggest the Iraqis were granting inspectors greater access to scientists - a key complaint aired by him to the Security Council on Monday.
As the US and Britain continue the military build-up to a war with Iraq, Baghdad said it took President George W. Bush's threats seriously and was prepared to defeat any invaders.
Today's official Iraqi press alleged Washington might rig evidence of biological, chemical or nuclear weapons trick the UN into backing its war aims.
Saddam Hussein's Baath party newspaper, al-Thawra, called the invasion plans "a reckless and destructive policy run by a super-idiot president".But Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister Tareq Aziz said: "We cannot take the risk that he is bluffing. If they try to invade our country we can win the war against them. This is our homeland, we know each and every corner and street in it and we will fight courageously".
Agencies