War with Iraq likely, says senior Democrat

Chances of a diplomatic solution to the US stand-off with Iraq appeared remote yesterday when a senior Democrat, who chaired the first public hearings on possible invasion plans, said war was now likely.

Hans Blix, the United Nations' chief weapons inspector, meanwhile, was quoted stressing his unwillingness to enter negotiations with Iraq on terms for sending UN weapons inspectors back in, saying such talks could do more harm than good if they foundered.

Joseph Biden, a Democratic senator and chairman of the Senate's Foreign Relations Committee, said President Bush had to do more to make the case for a campaign to topple Saddam Hussein. But he conceded that the momentum towards a war was picking up.

Speaking after hearings on Iraq on Capitol Hill, he said: "I believe there probably will be a war with Iraq. The only question is, is it alone, is it with others and how long and how costly will it be?"

Ambassadors to the UN Security Council are expected to discuss today with Kofi Annan, the secretary general, an Iraqi invitation to Mr Blix to hold technical talks in Baghdad. Mr Annan expressed his concern on Friday that Iraq was trying to negotiate the terms of the inspectors' mission. America and Britain dismissed the Iraqi offer.

The overture came in a letter from Iraq's Foreign Minister, Naji Sabri. Delivered to Mr Annan, it hinted that Iraq was willing to accept the return of inspectors, for the first time since December 1998, if Mr Blix agreed to travel to Baghdad.

But the letter also asked for talks first on what exactly the inspectors would do, which UN officials view as unacceptable. The offer was welcomed by Russia, but President Bush said that, as far as he was concerned, "nothing's changed".

Mr Blix underscored his disinclination to begin negotiations in an interview with Al Hayat newspaper in London. His remarks, made before Baghdad sent its letter, stated that Iraq would have to invite the inspectors unconditionally before he would considertalks. "I think they have to say that they accept the return of weapons inspectors according to the resolutions of the Security Council," he said.

The Iraqi press urged the UN to accept the offer. "All members of the UN must fulfil their responsibilities and stand up to this destructive, aggressive American tendency and strongly back Iraq's new initiative," Al Thawra said. The Babel daily, owned by President Hussein's son Uday, said the US-British position "proves what they are trying to achieve has nothing to do with inspections or non-existent weapons of mass destruction".

¿ The Bush administration denied last night that it had delayed plans to eliminate al-Qaida drawn up under President Bill Clinton. "A comprehensive strategy to eliminate al-Qaida" was approved one week before the 11 September attacks, a spokesman said.

Time magazine had claimed that Mr Clinton's anti-terror chief proposed arresting al-Qaida personnel, clamping down on the group's financing, and upping covert American action in Afghanistan.