Saddam Hussein indicated in an interview today that he has no plans to comply with a UN demand that he destroy his banned Al-Samoud 2 missiles.
The Iraqi President flatly denied that even his most advanced al-Samoud missiles violate UN restrictions.
CBS's Dan Rather, who interviewed him, said that indicated he does not intend to destroy them or pledge to destroy them.
Saddam Hussein also challenged US President George W Bush to a live, international television and radio debate about the US plan to go to war to disarm Baghdad.
'2nd Resolution' draft submitted
The US, UK and Spain earlier submitted a draft resolution to the UN Security Council tonight to allow the use of force to disarm Iraq.
France and other opponents of war were to unveil proposals to extend weapons inspections.
The draft resolution, which will certainly face stiff French-led opposition in the chamber, says the Security Council ‘decides that Iraq has failed to take the final oppportunity afforded to it in resolution 1441.’
The US has indicated that it will press for the council to vote on the resolution by mid-March.
Blix expected Iraqi compliance
Dr Hans Blix said this morning he expected Iraq to comply with his order to destroy its stock of Al-Samoud 2 missiles.
On Friday, Dr Blix wrote to General Amir al-Saadi, an adviser to President Saddam Hussein, saying Iraq should make arrangements to start destroying the missiles under UNMOVIC's supervision on March 1.
He cited the February 11 finding of a panel of weapons experts that the Al-Samoud missiles exceed the range of 150 km imposed by the Security Council in 1991.
In Baghdad today, General al-Saadi said Iraq was studying Blix's letter very carefully and would reply 'quite soon'.
Dr Blix said he did not expect any further negotiation on the issue, adding 'We have set a date for commencement of destruction, and we expect that to be respected.'
US and UK troops ready for war, warns Hoon
Meanwhile the UK Defence Secretary has warned that British and American troops are now ready for war if Iraq does not disarm.
Geoff Hoon was speaking in Kuwait at the start of a tour of the Gulf.
In London Tony Blair embarked on a week of intense diplomacy to gather support for another UN resolution which is being drafted by the UK and the US which is likely to be tabled tomorrow.
The draft resolution will declare that Iraq has failed to comply with its terms of the previous resolution 1441, and that military action is therefore justified.
The resolution could be put to a vote in the Security Council early in March, shortly after the UN chief weapons inspector, Hans Blix, makes his third and possibly final report.
