Iraq Accepts U.N. Resolution

Facing a looming deadline and the threat of war, Iraq accepted a tough new U.N. resolution on Wednesday that will return weapons inspectors to the country after nearly four years.

"We hereby inform you that we will deal with resolution 1441, despite its bad contents," Iraqi Foreign Minister Naji Sabri said in an argumentative and sometimes threatening letter to Secretary-General Kofi Annan.

The nine-page letter attacked the United States and Britain, the co-sponsors of the resolution, called the U.N. action unjust and illegal, but declared that Baghdad would abide by it.

"We hereby ask you to inform the Security Council that we are prepared to receive the inspectors within the assigned timetable," Sabri said.

After a White House meeting with Annan, President Bush said he wouldn't tolerate "deception or denial or deceit" from Iraqi President Saddam Hussein. He renewed his warning that if Iraq "chooses not to disarm, we will have a coalition of the willing with us" to do the job.

"The world expects Saddam Hussein to disarm for the sake of peace," Mr. Bush said with Annan at his side. "The U.N. stepped up to its responsibilities."

Annan said that Iraq had met the first test of the U.N. resolution. "Yes, Iraq has accepted, he said. But, he added, "the issue is not acceptance but performance on the ground. Let the inspectors go in. I urge the Iraqis to cooperate with them and to perform and I think that is the test we are all waiting for."

Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov, whose country is Iraq's closest Security Council ally, said on state-controlled ORT television: "We were confident that Iraq would make this decision, which opens the way for a political resolution of the situation. Now it is important that the international inspectors quickly return to Iraq."

Earlier, the White House almost brushed the Iraqi statement aside, saying the U.N. resolution requires compliance not mere acceptance, reports CBS News Correspondent Peter Maer.

"We've heard this before from Saddam Hussein and the Iraqi regime," spokesman Scott McClellan said.

"I would remind you this was never a question of accepting or rejecting the resolution," McClellan added. "The U.N. resolution is binding on Iraq, and the Iraqi regime. Saddam Hussein had no choice but to accept the resolution."

In his letter, Sabri warned inspectors that Iraq will be watching their actions very closely. In 1998, Baghdad accused inspectors of spying for the United States and Israel.

"Dealing with the inspectors, the government of Iraq will ... take into consideration their way of conduct, the intentions of those who are ill-intentioned among them and their improper approach in showing respect to the people's national dignity, their independence and security, and their country's security, independence, and sovereignty," Sabri said.

Iraq again reiterated that it has no weapons of mass destruction.

Sabri accused President Bush and British Prime Minister Tony Blair of fabricating "the biggest and most wicked slander against Iraq" by claiming Iraq had or was on its way to producing nuclear weapons and already had chemical and biological weapons.

"They both know, as well as we do, and so can other countries, that such fabrications are baseless," Sabri said.

Under Security Council resolutions adopted after Iraq's 1990 invasion of Kuwait, U.N. inspectors must certify that Iraq's nuclear, chemical and biological weapons programs have been eliminated, along with the long-range missiles to deliver them. Only then can sanctions against Iraq be lifted.

In Iraq, state-run television and radio announced the acceptance Wednesday night. Iraqi TV showed a frozen image of Saddam, in a dark suit and tie, sitting in front of the Iraqi flag and government seal presiding over a meeting, while an announcer read a message recounting at length a history of the dispute with the United Nations.

Iraq's parliament recommended Tuesday that Saddam reject the resolution, but the subsequent acceptance cleared the way for the arrival of an advance team of U.N. inspectors on Monday.

Sabri urged inspectors to bear in mind that they were starting work during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan when people fast during the day.

If the inspectors do their work "professionally and lawfully," Sabri said "the liars' lies" perpetrated by the United States and Britain about Iraq's weapons of mass destruction will be exposed and the Security Council will then have to lift sanctions.

Sabri said he intends to send another letter stating Iraq's observations on elements in resolution 1441 that Baghdad believes are contrary to international law and the U.N. Charter.

The advance team will be led by U.N. chief inspector Hans Blix, who is in charge of biological and chemical inspections, and Mohamed ElBaradei, head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, which is in charge of nuclear inspections.

The resolution demands that Iraq cooperate fully with the inspectors and allow them to go anywhere at any time to search for weapons of mass destruction.

It warns that Iraq faces "serious consequences" if it doesn't comply — and the United States has made clear that an Iraqi failure to cooperate will almost certainly mean a new war.

In addition to offering Iraq "a final opportunity" to cooperate with inspectors, the resolution extends the possibility of lifting the sanctions.

Under a strict timetable, Iraq now has until Dec. 8 to declare all its chemical, biological and nuclear programs. Inspectors have until Dec. 23 to begin their work and must report to the Security Council 60 days later. The resolution orders inspectors to immediately notify the council of any Iraqi infraction which could be considered a "material breach" of its obligations to disarm itself of weapons of mass destruction.