Iraq admits possessing four more chemical warheads

Iraq has admitted possessing four empty chemical warheads in addition to 11 empty warheads it said had not been disclosed to UN weapons inspectors because of an "oversight".

The disclosure came at talks in Baghdad yesterday between Iraqi officials and the chief UN weapons inspectors, who reported that "some progress" had been made, after they warned that less than full co- operation by Baghdad could result in war. Hans Blix, the UN's chief arms inspector, said yesterday's talks focused on last week's discovery of 11 empty warheads in an inspection of an arms storage depot.

"They said it was an oversight and that they are looking for more, and have found four more, and might find more in the future," Mr Blix said. "They said they were surprised themselves," he added.

Mr Blix said he would not characterise either the warheads or 3,000 documents found at an Iraqi scientist's home relating to missiles and nuclear weapons as a "smoking gun" that could trigger war.

Mr Blix and Mohamed al-Baradei, director of the International Atomic Energy Agency, impressed on the Iraqis that they were in "grave danger". They will hold a further meeting today with the officials, before making their first, but crucial, report on the progress of Iraqi disarmament to the UN next week.

Mr al-Baradei said: "We had specific questions to ask, we had certain proposals to them and I think they indicated responsiveness in some areas ... I hope we would have some results in the next few days and weeks.

"What we tried to do at this meeting is to impress on the Iraqi authorities that the time is running out, that they need to adopt a pragmatic, proactive approach towards resolution of at least some outstanding issues.''

Mr Blix said a conflict can still be avoided but "it required very active Iraqi co-operation".

The Government is due to order thousands of marines, soldiers, artillery units and more than 120 tanks to be mobilised this week.

The deployment, which could begin as early as today, and which will be augmented soon afterwards with paratroops from 16 Air Assault Brigade, will form the core of a British task force of about 30,000. The Government had delayed making the announcement, expected last week, because of the hostility it faced over Iraq from its backbenchers and public figures, according to defence sources.

Senior military commanders are said to have expressed their increasing concern about the uncertainty and operational difficulties being caused by Downing Street's prevarication over sending the main body of the force. Although British armour – including Challenger 2s, the main battle tank – has been on alert and running exercises in Germany for the past two months, it will not be ready for action for another six weeks.

The forces being sent will include 5,000 Royal Marines from 3 Commando Brigade on board the aircraft carrier Ark Royal and the helicopter carrier Ocean, and up to 14,000 troops, with tanks, artillery and armoured infantry units, from 7th Armoured Brigade based in Germany.

They will be followed by additional units from the 4th Armoured Brigade in Germany as well as, possibly, forces based in Britain, including 19 Brigade, based in Catterick, Yorkshire. Another 3,500 from 16 Air Assault Brigade, including the 3rd Battalion, The Parachute Regiment, will be the next to receive their mobilisation orders.