THE EU: Chief UN weapons inspector, Dr Hans Blix, told European Parliament leaders yesterday that he would welcome more time to work in Iraq if the Security Council offered it, Parliament President Pat Cox said.
Dr Blix made the reported comment in a closed-door video conference from New York with leaders of the European Parliament's political groups.
"I think he was anxious to establish in our minds that he himself and UNMOVIC [the UN arms monitoring agency] have not directly asked for an extension, but that if one is offered by the Security Council, they would welcome that," Mr Cox told reporters afterwards. "He explained to us that he has not asked for the time extension because he does not want to create a false expectation."
"He is clearly strongly of the opinion that the Iraqi authorities are being co-operative in terms of process and procedure but not co-operative in terms of substance, and that remains for him the critical missing ingredient of the Iraqi engagement on active co-operation," Mr Cox said.
Surveys show public opposition to war has hardened in Europe, including in Britain, Washington's closest ally. That mood has been reflected in the anti-war tone of politicians in Germany, France, Belgium and Sweden.