Inspectors await U.N. green light

U.N. weapons inspectors, who left Iraq in 1998, could return as early as this week if the Security Council gives the go-ahead

VIENNA, Austria (CNN) -- U.N. weapons inspectors say they are ready to go back into Iraq immediately.

The announcement comes after Baghdad said it would allow international weapons inspectors to return "without condition."

"We are awaiting the green light from the U.N. Security Council to tell us what are the next steps," International Atomic Energy Agency spokeswoman Melissa Fleming said Tuesday.

"We are ready to go back immediately. We have been ready for the past four years. We are looking for co-operation in all respects -- unconditional and unrestricted -- for our inspectors."

In a letter handed over to the United Nations Monday, Iraq said it would allow the return of weapons inspectors to "remove any doubts Iraq still possesses weapons of mass destruction."

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In addition, the Iraqi Government said Tuesday it would present a letter to the United Nations from Iraqi President Saddam Hussein later this week.

Fleming said Iraq must be willing to offer "absolute co-operation" with inspectors.

"Without conditions is a key phrase that we've been looking for," she said. "Without conditions means that our inspectors can operate under terms where we can immediately have access -- unconditional and unrestricted access to sites that we want to visit."

Washington reacted skeptically to the offer. A senior White House official told reporters Tuesday: "The world has been down this road before."

The official said the offer shows that Hussein "reacts to maximum pressure," adding, "It is not the time to relax any of that pressure."

The Bush administration said that if and when inspectors returned it would be at the demand of the United States and United Nations -- not at Iraq's invitation.

Hussein has in the past repeatedly "used stalling tactics and delays even as he continues to arm and hide," the official said.

The Bush administration's comments reflect the administration's concern that the overture from Iraq could undermine the effort to pressure Iraq on a range of issues and create momentum for simply sending weapons inspectors back and putting Baghdad's new promise to the test.

France, for example, has suggested a two-step process in which one U.N. resolution calls for the return of weapons inspectors, with a second resolution to be considered if Iraq impedes that effort.

Washington wants a resolution that demands compliance not only on the issue of disarmament but also on Iraq's other commitments to the U.N., including an end to repression of minorities within Iraq, reparations to Kuwait, an accounting of missing military personnel from coalition forces during the 1991 Persian Gulf War and the use of money raised from the oil-for-food program for humanitarian purposes.

"This is not a matter of inspections. It is about disarmament of Iraq's weapons of mass destruction and the Iraqi regime's compliance with all other Security Council resolutions," White House spokesman Scott McClellan said in a written statement. "It is time for the Security Council to act."

Iraqi Foreign Minister Naji Sabri is scheduled to address the U.N. General Assembly on Thursday.

Deputy Prime Minister Tariq Aziz said Tuesday that Iraq is ready to work with the United Nations -- but he predicted the conflict would not end with the readmission of inspection teams.

"America ... wants to control the oil in Iraq," said Aziz, speaking at the opening of a "solidarity conference" of nations and officials opposed to war in Iraq. "The only way to control the oil in Iraq is to destroy and divide Iraq and bring in a government like in Afghanistan," he said, referring to the overthrow of the ruling Taliban in that country by U.S. and allied forces.

Aziz said Iraq's gesture would make no difference, suggesting that Baghdad is destined to go to war with the United States and United Kingdom.

"The pretext that they have used to launch strikes against Iraq has been dropped," Aziz said. "It's only been a few hours since the declaration last night and our meeting today, but the reactions from Washington and London are clear. It shows that this was only a pretext."