Chief UN arms inspector Hans Blix said today he had seen 'positive' elements about aspects of Iraq's disarmament recently.
Dr Blix said he had received several letters containing elements that were positive and which needed to be explored further.
In one letter, the Iraqis had said that they have found an R-400 bomb containing a liquid in a site which was known to UNMOVIC, at which they disposed of biological weapons before.
'There is another letter that tells us that they have found some handwritten documents concerning the act of disposal of prohibited items in 1991,' he said, adding: 'All of these have to be followed up, but these are new elements.'
Earlier, Saddam Hussein's top scientific adviser said Iraq was still considering a United Nations demand that it destroys its al-Samoud missiles because their range is greater than that allowed.
General Amer al-Saadi's remarks contradicted an earlier report that Iraq would refuse to destory the weapons.
US President Bush has reportedly not given up hope that Iraqi disarmament can still be resolved peacefully if Saddam Hussein comes under sufficient international pressure that he 'gets the message'.
The Iraqi President earlier reportedly challenged US President George W Bush to a live radio and television debate via satellite link.
The Iraqi leader issued the challenge in an interview with American television network, CBS.
Dan Rather, the network's chief news anchor who interviewed Saddam Hussein, said the Iraqi leader 'flatly denied' the missiles violated UN restrictions.
Mr Rather said this meant he would refuse to destroy them.
It has been reported that transmission of the interview has been temporarily blocked by the Baghdad authorities.
Earlier, the UN chief weapons inspector, Hans Blix, said that Iraq must comply with UN demands and begin destroying the missiles by Saturday.
The White House has dismissed the offer of a debate.
