EU: The European Union took its boldest step to avert war in Iraq yesterday, saying it would send a mission to seven Arab nations in February soon after UN arms experts make a key report.
Greece, which holds the EU presidency, said its Foreign Minister, Mr George Papandreou, would go to "moderate" Arab states to encourage them to play a greater role in mediating between Iraq and the United States and get Baghdad to adhere to UN weapons inspections.
All Arab countries have said they oppose a war against Iraq, though some say they might co-operate with action authorised by the UN Security Council.
"On the trip we want to see if we can have a positive development on Iraq," Mr Papandreou said. He said the EU believed the crisis could be resolved only by Iraq respecting UN resolutions.
"The mission will visit seven moderate Arab governments in early February to mediate in averting a conflict in Iraq," a Greek official said.
"All hope for a peaceful settlement of the Iraq issue has not been exhausted," he said.
A Foreign Ministry official said the trip in early or mid-February would include Syria, Jordan, Lebanon and Saudi Arabia as well as meetings with Palestinian and Israeli officials.
If it does come to war, Iraqi President Saddam Hussein conceded yesterday Baghdad was at a disadvantage in terms of air power, but said his country would be on level terms in any ground battles.
The biggest problem, he said, came down to bread and water.
"I don't find any difficulties in the battle unless the fighter says that he has no bread or no water to drink," he was quoted by Iraqi television as telling militia fighters. "Here I have to see if he can depend on his brothers in surrounding villages to get from them a loaf of bread to continue fighting among them. This is the only thing that I find difficult".
It was not clear whether the planned timing of the EU mission suggested Athens had any information that there would be no US military action before early February. - (Reuters)