Word that Iraq would allow inspections to resume came Monday in a letter delivered to U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan. Iraqi Foreign Minister Naji Sabri delivered the letter in a meeting with Annan and the secretary-general of the Arab League, Amr Moussa.
"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," Annan said.
Annan will pass the letter on to the president of the 15-member U.N. Security Council Monday evening, and top diplomats are to study it overnight.
The timing of the Iraqi letter coincided with a major push by the Bush administration to draft tougher U.N. resolutions ordering weapons inspectors back into Iraq on a tight deadline and threatening the use of military force if Iraq does not comply.
Annan said President Bush's speech last Thursday to the U.N. General Assembly helped "galvanize" the international community in getting Iraq to comply with U.N. resolutions.
"A lot has happened in this building since Thursday," Annan said in announcing the news.
But the official, who is involved in the deliberations over Iraq, expressed skepticism:
"We will work with the United Nations and specifically the Security Council on what Iraq will be required to accept," said the official. "We do not take what Saddam says at face value to begin with. And there will be no negotiating. The U.N. will act to lay out the requirements, or we will, but he gets no input."
Secretary of State Colin Powell has been meeting with U.N. Security Council members in hopes of building a consensus to support one or more resolutions "with teeth." (Full story)
However the actual drafting has yet to begin -- some diplomats tell CNN they don't expect pens to be put to paper until later this week -- with a final draft ready by month's end.
However the actual drafting has yet to begin -- some diplomats tell CNN they don't expect pens to be put to paper until later this week -- with a final draft ready by month's end.
The irrelevance clock is running.
Tick - Tock...
Understatement - did that welt on your cheek from Bush's slap heal yet?
Strengthen's the US's position...they threw out a bone to get leverage...Bush needs to refer back to his 9/25/01 speech...the conditions are not open for discussion or negotiation...
A two-week delay to turn gaseous bullsh!t into text bullsh!t.
And when the rubber meets the road, Saddam's monkeys get in the way of every step.
The only effective inspection is Bomb Damage Assessment.