Iraq may allow U.N. inspectors back -- Saudi paper

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (Reuters) -- Iraq has told several countries and the United Nations that it would allow international arms inspectors back if their mission was short and it would lead to a lifting of U.N. sanctions, a Saudi daily said Wednesday.

Al-Watan newspaper quoted diplomatic sources as saying Iraq has also told the world body, France, Russia and other countries that the inspectors' mission should not be provocative and should respect Iraq's sovereignty.

It said Iraq also asked for a lifting of international control over its revenues from the sale of crude oil once the sanctions are lifted.

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"The Iraqi leadership hopes to sign a memorandum of understanding with (U.N. Secretary General) Kofi Annan ... which would spell out the basis and conditions for cooperation between Iraq and the United Nations and the nature of the mission of international inspectors," the newspapers quoted unnamed European and Arab diplomats as saying.

"The memorandum will also include a clear pledge to lift economic sanctions within a short and specified time period which starts after the arrival of international inspectors." the newspaper added.

In Moscow, a Russian foreign spokesman said he had no official information about any such move by Iraq.

In Washington, a U.S. official said: "Iraq's cooperation with the U.N. on resolution 1248 is not a matter of negotiation.

"Resolution 1248 clearly lays out a path for Iraq to achieve the suspension and lifting of sanctions. It's not a matter for negotiation. The path is clear. They know what they need to do," said the official, who asked not to be named.

Security Council resolution 1284, adopted last year, offers an easing of trade sanctions, imposed on Iraq for its 1990 invasion of Kuwait, provided Baghdad allows inspectors with the power to dismantle Iraq's alleged weapons of mass destruction to resume their work.

Diplomats familiar with Annan's talks with Iraqi officials in Qatar on November 14, said the issue of admitting inspectors was discussed and the Iraqis reiterated their rejection of the terms set in resolution 1284.

"There was no reconsideration of 1284, but the Iraqis were willing to consider the introduction of inspectors if the secretary-general can find a formula whereby they would feel comfortable letting them back in," one diplomat said.

"Naturally, their conditions differ from ours, Annan said they have concerns, I a have Security Council resolutions," the diplomat said.

He said the important point was the Iraqi willingness to open a dialogue with the United Nations, which might lead to an agreement on how to implement resolution 1284.

A Western official said the reported Iraqi conditions would gut the U.N. disarmament commission of any ability to track down suspected weapons of mass destruction, putting vast areas of presidential sites off limits.

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