UN weapons chief Dr Hans Blix said today Iraq must prove it has destroyed banned weapons and let its scientists answer questions freely to defuse what he called a "very dangerous" situation.
With the United States signalling impatience over Iraqi compliance with UN disarmament demands, Dr Blix and International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) director Dr Mohamed El Baradei embarked on a four-day diplomatic tour that will end in Baghdad on Sunday.
"The message we want to bring to Baghdad is, the situation is very tense and very dangerous and everybody wants to see a verified and credible disarmament of Iraq," Dr Blix said in Brussels where he met European Union officials.
On the eve of the 12th anniversary of the 1991 Gulf War all sides agreed war to disarm Iraq was not inevitable.
But both Dr Blix and Dr El Baradei said to avoid it, Iraq must be seen as not only co-operative but "proactive" in its co-operation.
"One way would be to let (Iraqi scientists) talk without any minder present. Another would be to accept that they go abroad, if they want to do so," Dr Blix said.
Dr El Baradei, in Moscow to meet Russian officials, said: "There have been still lots of open questions, particularly in the area of chemical and biological and missile weapons...and also some in the nuclear field."
After talks in Baghdad, Dr Blix and Dr El Baradei are due to brief the UN Security Council on January 27th. Dr Blix said he is "almost sure" diplomats will request another report in February.
The inspectors say many gaps must be filled and information analysed. Among other things, Dr Blix said inspectors had found illegally imported conventional weapons materials in Iraq, some dating from two years ago, but had not determined if they were destined for banned weapons programmes.
Earlier Dr Blix met with the EU foreign policy chief Mr Javier Solana. Mr Solana said Dr Blix "has conveyed his concerns to me that the co-operation of Saddam Hussein is not sufficient".
"Mr Blix has conveyed his concerns to me that the co-operation of Saddam Hussein is not sufficient," he told reporters after meeting Mr Blix in Brussels.
Oil prices shot to fresh two-year highs after Dr Blix's comments, which reinforced nervous traders' fears of a major supply crunch if war cuts Iraqi exports.
Meanwhile, UN arms experts paid surprise visits to the homes of two Iraqi scientists in Baghdad today. The appearance of inspectors in a residential district was a first for the teams which have scoured plants, military facilities, universities and presidential palaces since returning to Iraq on November 27th, after a four-year absence.