Baghdad clashes with inspectors over demands

Iraq and the top UN weapons inspectors moved towards a new collision yesterday, as Saddam Hussein's regime seemed to ignore the terms set by Hans Blix and Mohamed al-Baradei for their planned return to Baghdad on Saturday.

The two men, who are due to deliver what might be a crucial second report to the Security Council on 14 February, had accepted an invitation for a new visit – but on clear conditions set out in a letter from Mr Blix to the Iraqi authorities.

The three main demands were: details on the whereabouts of chemical and biological weapons that were not accounted for in Iraq's 12,000-page declaration of 7 December; prior agreement for unrestricted U-2 spy plane flights over Iraq; and advance approval for unfettered interviews with Iraqi scientists.

But officials in Baghdad make no mention of these requests or imply they are subject to negotiations. For Vice-President Taha Yassin Rama- dan, the visit was "normal," with "no preconditions". Another senior Iraqi, the chief liaison officer, Hossam Mohammed Amin, claimed that Baghdad was already co-operating fully. "It was our suggestion [that Mr Blix and Mr Baradei return] to show our willingness ... and to enter into negotiation," he said.

But Iraq's deeds are not matching its words. On Saturday, for the 17th time, an Iraqi scientist refused to be interviewed alone. For Britain and the US, which believe the scientists are being intimidated by death threats from the regime, this merely bears out the assertion by Tony Blair and President George Bush on Friday, that a return visit by the inspectors would merely allow Baghdad to try to string out the inspections process. "Calling in inspectors to negotiate is a charade," Mr Bush declared.

Further footdragging by Baghdad will only strengthen the hand of Colin Powell, the American Secretary of State, when he makes his presentation to the Security Council on Wednesday, setting out evidence that Iraq is still pursuing banned chemical, biological and nuclear programmes. All weekend, specialists at the Pentagon and the CIA were poring over classified data to decide what material could be revealed by General Powell.

Washington has more or less admitted it does not have smoking-gun proof of Iraqi weapons transgressions – still less of alleged links with al-Qa'ida. But the Bush administration reckons it has a strong circumstantial case, built on photographs, data from defectors and communications intercepts suggesting the Iraqis are concealing evidence.

US and British officials expressed confidence that the Powell report, with another poor mark for Baghdad from Mr Blix in 11 days, will start to win around sceptics on the Security Council, making passage of a second UN resolution authorising the use of force more likely. Polls in the US show that Mr Bush's State of the Union address last week, in which he forcefully laid out his complaints against Iraq, has swung Americans behind a US-led war with Iraq, even one without the blessing of the UN.

The public still wants to see more evidence, hence the importance of the Secretary of State's appearance at the UN on Wednesday. But support for an attack has risen to 66 per cent from 57 per cent in mid-January, the highest figure since September.