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Arabs welcome Iraq's assent to UN inspectors

Iraqi President Saddam Hussein's decision to accept the United Nations Security Council's resolution allowing weapons inspectors into the country has been welcomed by Arab diplomats, but has left the United States sceptical.

The letter telling the UN of Hussein's decision had some tough words for the US and Britain, who co-authored the resolution. The letter charges them with manipulating the Security Council with "wicked slander" against Iraq.

"The lies and manipulations of the American administration and the British government will be exposed when the world will see how truthful the Iraqis are in what they say and do," the Iraqi letter said.

Iraq has accepted the resolution to protect the country, the people, and the region from the threat of war, Iraqi officials said in New York and Baghdad. But US President George Bush warned against any attempt to obstruct the inspectors trying to locate weapons of mass destruction. "Zero tolerance --- about as plain as I can make it. We will not tolerate any deception or deceit, period," he said.

Bush's statement, diplomats said, raises the possibility of American military action if it perceives that Iraq is not being truthful. Washington also dismissed the Iraqi claims that it has no weapons of mass destruction.

UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, who met Bush in Washington shortly after Iraqi Ambassador Muhammad al-Douri delivered the letter to his office in New York, also did not sound positive when he remarked that the issue was not of acceptance, but of performance on the ground.

While Annan said that Iraq has accepted the resolution, his language gave away his apprehensions about the country. He didn't seem to have forgotten what happened during earlier inspections when there were several confrontations between inspectors and Iraqi officers. But any differences of opinion this time could have serious consequences with Washington threatening military action.

The inspectors are expected to go to Iraq as early as Monday and the first test for the country would be the reception they get. Although Iraq met the first deadline given in the resolution, to accept it within seven days of its adoption, the second deadline is more important.

This deadline, ending on December 8, has been set for Iraq to declare its weapons of mass destruction together with their facilities and materials, vehicles of delivery, and location. Armed with a list given by the US, the inspectors will confirm the Iraqi declaration.

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