Washington, Nov 08: President George Bush has warned Iraq that it faces the "severest consequences" if it does not comply with the UN Security Council's resolution on weapons inspections.
Welcoming the new resolution, Mr Bush said that Iraq must co-operate with the arms inspectors unconditionally and promptly.
The text - which was approved unanimously by the 15 members of the Council - demands that Iraq give UN weapons inspectors "immediate, unimpeded and unconditional" rights to search anywhere in the country for weapons of mass destruction, including President Saddam Hussein's presidential compounds.
President Bush described the resolution as a final test for Iraq - if it failed to comply, the US and other nations "will disarm Saddam Hussein", the American president said.
"The outlaw regime will not be permitted to build or possess chemical, biological or nuclear weapons - that is the judgement of the US Congress and that is the judgement of the UN Security Council," Mr Bush said.
"Now the world must insist that that judgement be enforced." Bureau Report