British PM Calls for Agreement on U.S. Draft Against Iraq

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Wednesday, October 23, 2002

British PM Calls for Agreement on U.S. Draft Against Iraq

British Prime Minister Tony Blair said Tuesday he hoped the United States' draft resolution on Iraq would be approved by the United Nations.

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British Prime Minister Tony Blair said Tuesday he hoped the United States' draft resolution on Iraq would be approved by the United Nations.

Following talks with Dutch Premier Jan Peter Balkenende held in his Downing Street office here, Blair underlined the importanceof dealing with Saddam's weapons of mass destruction program.

"We discussed Iraq and hope very much that we get a resolution on this issue through the United Nations, but recognizing that the issues of weapons of mass destruction is a serious one and has to be dealt with," Blair said.

The remarks were made after the United States said earlier thatthe resolution gives U.N. weapons inspectors more clout and puts Saddam Hussein on notice that he faces "serious consequences" if Iraq doesn't cooperate.

France, Russia, China, Britain and the United States, the five veto-holding members of the U.N. Security Council, are scheduled to meet again shortly to discuss the new US resolution.

Also on Tuesday, British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw met in London with Mohamed ElBaradei, director-general of the International Atomic Energy Agency, which is in charge of nuclear inspections.

Straw said they discussed the task facing the agency when it returns to Iraq.

"Weapons inspectors, including from the IAEA, must be allowed unfettered access under the terms set by the United Nations in theresolution currently under discussion," Straw said in a statement.

"There is a clear determination to ensure that Iraq fulfills its obligations. But this will not happen without the credible threat of the use of force," the foreign secretary added.

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