U.N. Holds Talks With Iraq

Iraq's foreign minister and the U.N. secretary-general agreed Thursday that their first high-level talks in a year got off to a "positive and constructive" start, but there was no sign Iraq would allow U.N. weapons inspectors back in the country.

No major breakthrough had been expected, and Foreign Minister Naji Sabri announced that the dialogue would continue sometime in mid-April.

"I am always optimistic," Sabri said as he left U.N. headquarters.

The long-awaited meeting, initiated by Iraqi President Saddam Hussein, began with an unusual one-on-one session between the Iraqi minister and U.N. chief Kofi Annan that lasted about 20 minutes, a signal of the high stakes.

The United States has demanded the return of U.N. weapons inspectors, accused Iraq of being part of an "axis of evil" supporting terrorism, and hinted that it might expand its war on terrorism to the oil-rich Mideast nation.

On the eve of the talks, U.S. officials hurled a new accusation, charging that Iraq is illegally trying to build up its military by converting about 1,000 trucks for military use in violation of U.N. sanctions.

Many Arab leaders have warned U.S. President George W. Bush that attacking Iraq would damage Mideast support for the U.S. anti-terrorism campaign.

The U.N. secretary-general made clear Thursday that he, too, opposes any widening of the conflict in the Middle East.

"I would want to see a situation where we are able to resolve our differences diplomatically and that Iraq comes into compliance," Annan said. "If that is done, I don't think the (Security) Council will take any further action."

Some diplomats believe the U.S. pressure brought the Iraqi minister to New York to try to resolve the festering dispute with the council. Iraq's U.N. Ambassador Mohammad Al-Douri vehemently denied it, saying the talks have "nothing to do with the ... American threat."

At issue are U.N. sanctions imposed on Iraq after its 1990 invasion of Kuwait that can't be lifted until U.N. weapons inspectors certify that Iraq's weapons of mass destruction and long-range missiles have been eliminated.

The inspectors left ahead of U.S. and British airstrikes in December 1998 and Iraq has barred them from returning, insisting it has complied with Security Council resolutions and demanding that the embargoes be lifted.

"I hope we will find a constructive way to begin the inspections so they (the Iraqis) will see a light at the end of the tunnel," the secretary-general told the Council on Foreign Relations on Wednesday evening.

At the end of the first round of talks Thursday morning, which lasted about two hours, the two sides used similar language.

"We started our discussions with the secretary-general within a positive and constructive atmosphere," Sabri said as he left U.N. headquarters.

Annan's spokesman, Fred Eckhard, echoed his assessment, saying: "The talks got off to a positive and constructive start. They were focused - they discussed the key issues."

After a second meeting in the afternoon that lasted a little less than an hour, Sabri used the same words again.

"We had a constructive and positive exchange of views on various issues related to the Iraq-U.N. relationship," he said, explaining that each side had raised its concerns.

"Hopefully we shall continue in the same spirit and effort," said Sabri, who was scheduled to leave New York late Thursday and return home for consultations.

Iraq has shown some recent signs of flexibility.

Vice President Taha Yasin Ramadan granted 105 new visas to U.N. staff working for the oil-for-food humanitarian program last week, after months of delay.

Iraq also invited Britain to send a team to search for banned weapons, but Britain's U.N. Ambassador Jeremy Greenstock dismissed the offer.

Chief U.N. weapons inspector Hans Blix said Iraq should redirect the invitation to his organization. Al-Douri said Iraq was not inviting U.N. inspectors because it suspects inspectors from the former U.N. agency of spying.

On Monday, a newspaper owned by Saddam's eldest son, Odai Hussein, hinted that the government might allow U.N. arms inspectors to return if they work within a timeframe.

"If the United States and Britain were serious about their inspection claims, they would put time limits on the inspectors' work in Iraq, and on the subsequent lifting of the sanctions. If this happens, there could be another word on this subject," the newspaper Babil said in a front-page editorial.

But the United States and Britain - which have veto power in the Security Council - have made clear that Iraq must abide fully by the existing resolutions.