The Five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council are still too far to reach an agreement on its new policy towards Iraq, a UN diplomat said on November 17.

Representatives from the United States, Britain, France, Russia and China have been discussing the new policy for a few months and they intensified their talks these days in a bid to break the deadlock as soon as possible, said the diplomat, who asked not to be identified.

According to the diplomat, the United States and Britain have maintained that Iraq must allow the UN weapons inspectors back into the country and allow surprise inspections of any suspected weapons sites.

Russia and France want sanctions against Iraq, including restrictions on investing in the country's oil industry, to be lifted as soon as possible, with a less strict weapon inspection system.

The Security Council has been sharply divided on its policy towards Iraq after the US-led military strikes against the country last December. Since then, UN weapons inspection in Iraq has not been resumed.

Iraq has reiterated that it will never accept a new UN agreement unless it lifts sanctions.

Iraq has been under stringent UN sanctions since its invasion of Kuwait in 1990. According to relevant UN resolution, Iraq must be declared free of weapons of mass destruction before sanctions can be lifted.