War with Iraq is still not inevitable, UN Secretary General Kofi Annan said today, following a key US presentation to the UN Security Council.
"I still believe that war is not inevitable," Mr Annan said, indicating the United States was still willing to consider a peaceful resolution to the crisis over Iraqi disarmament.
"US officials have said all along that they do not believe that war is inevitable, provided that Iraq complies," he said. "Even at this stage, they are not saying peace is out."
Annan declined to comment directly on the content of Mr Powell's presentation, saying only that the secretary of state had been "thorough."
He said he would not be going to Baghdad as he could only reiterate the message the chief UN weapons inspectors, Dr Hans Blix and Dr Mohammad ElBaradei, would be taking to the Iraqi capital on Saturday: that Iraq must fully comply with all UN resolutions.
The Iraqi regime should listen to Dr Blix and Dr ElBaradei and "I hope they do so," Mr Annan said.
The Security Council would have to make a judgment "at some stage" on Iraqi compliance, he said.
AFP