Iraq Unconditionally Accepts Return of Weapons Inspectors, U.N. Announces

UNITED NATIONS (AP) - Iraq unconditionally accepted the return of U.N. weapons inspectors late Monday, U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan said, nearly four years after the inspectors left Baghdad.
"I can confirm to you that I have received a letter from the Iraqi authorities conveying its decision to allow the return of inspectors without conditions to continue their work," a pleased Annan said.

"There is good news," Iraqi Foreign Minister Naji Sabri said moments earlier. Sabri refused to comment further and left U.N. headquarters after a day of negotiations on the text of the letter.

Sabri and Arab League chief Amr Moussa had met late with Annan to transmit the letter from the Iraqi government.

"I'm now passing the letter to the Security Council and they will have to decide what they do next and of course Mr. Blix and his team will be ready to continue their work," Annan said. He wouldn't answer any questions from reporters but his office was preparing to release the text of the letter.

Under Security Council resolutions, sanctions imposed on Iraq after its 1990 invasion of Kuwait cannot be lifted until U.N. inspectors certify that its weapons of mass destruction have been destroyed. Inspectors left the country in 1998 ahead of U.S. and British airstrikes to punish Iraq for not cooperating with inspections.

Since then, Iraq has refused to allow inspectors to return, and the stalemate had split the United States, Britain, Russian, France and China - the five powerful members of the U.N. Security Council.

The turnabout in Iraq, after four years of stalemate, came days after President Bush addressed the U.N. General Assembly debate and said that Iraq must comply with Security Council resolutions or face the consequences.

Annan credited Bush late Monday.

"I believe the president's speech galvanized the international community," Annan said.

Top Bush aides huddled after Annan's announcement, preparing a response.

Annan said the Arab league had played a key role in bringing about the Iraqi response.

Annan thanked the league's chief, Amr Moussa of Egypt, "for his strenuous efforts in helping to convince Iraq to allow the return of the inspectors."

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