Iraq agrees to unconditional return of inspectors

Iraq is reported to have agreed to accept the unconditional return of UN weapons inspectors.

The announcement by United Nations Secretary General, Kofi Annan, came after the Iraqi Foreign Minister, Naji Sabri, handed Mr Annan a letter tonight from his government at the UN in New York.

The Iraqis have also agreed to start immediate discussions on the practical arrangements for the return of the inspectors.

A spokesman said Mr Sabri was accompanied by the Secretary General of the Arab League, Amr Musa.

Mr Annan is to pass the letter on to Turkey, which currrently chairs the Security Council.

Arab and European officials said earlier they were awaiting Iraq's response to UN demands that it let arms inspectors return to the country, amid signs of Iraqi flexibility.

Earlier this evening the US Secretary of State, Colin Powell, said he was hopeful that there would be a new resolution from the United Nations on Iraq.

Mr Powell told Sky News there was pressure on Iraq to comply. But he made it clear that the United States wanted more than the return of weapons inspectors.

He declined to comment on Saudi Arabia's apparent acceptance that military strikes authorised by the UN against Baghdad could be launched from its territory.

The Saudi Foreign Minister today suggested that his country was prepared to consider a major shift in policy.

However Prince Saud al-Faisal told CNN television that such an action would have to be endorsed by the United Nations and remained a last resort.

Saudi Arabia had previously said it would not let its bases be used for any unilateral American action. But Prince Saud acknowledged that his country had to abide by the UN Charter, which authorises the use of force in the event of a threat to international peace and security.

The Prince repeated calls to Iraq to agree to the return of UN weapons inspectors.