Washington, Oct 01: The United States has told UN weapons inspectors to put their possible mission to Iraq on hold until the UN Security Council finishes its deliberations on a proposed new inspection regime for the country. US Secretary of State Colin Powell issued the request late Monday, hours after UN officials in Vienna reported progress in talks with an Iraqi delegation on resuming arms inspections after a four-year hiatus.
Powell said chief UN weapons inspector Hans Blix had done a very good job in pulling together a team of inspectors ready to go Iraq. "But I think also he will have to wait and see whether or not the United Nations Security Council comes up with new guidance or additional resolutions that might require him to modify his plan," the secretary of state pointed out.

He said all those involved in the Iraq inspections issue must wait and see "how things develop over the next couple of weeks" with a proposed new UN Security Council resolution, or resolutions, that will spell out a future course of action vis-a-vis Baghdad.

The comments appeared to cast a cloud over the talks in Vienna, where, according to UN officials, discussions centered Monday on access to sensitive sites such as the defense ministry, garrisons of the elite Republican Guard troops and the headquarters of the ruling Baath party. Bureau Report