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Thursday, June 4, 1998 Published at 03:35 GMT 04:35 UK
World: Middle East
Security Council briefed on Iraqi weapons
Mr Butler has yet to define what measures Iraq needs to take to end sanctions
The chief United Nations weapons inspector, Richard Butler, has produced photographs and other documents at a briefing of the UN Security Council to challenge Iraq's claims that it has fully dismantled its arsenal.
The American ambassador to the UN - Bill Richardson - said the evidence dealt a devastating blow to Iraq's credibility.
But the Russian and French ambassadors were more cautious in their response.
The Security Council session is due to resume later on Thursday when Mr Butler is expected to set out measures that he believes Iraq must take before sanctions can be lifted.
Earlier, senior Iraqi officials told an informal meeting of the United Nations Security Council that it has no more weapons, or documents relating to them.
The BBC United Nations Correspondent, Rob Watson, says it is all part of the continuing struggle between Iraq and the UN weapons inspectors (Unscom) in their battle for support in the Security Council.
He says Unscom is under mounting pressure from Iraq's allies in the Security Council - Russia, France and China - who are increasingly siding with Baghdad and its demands for sanctions to be lifted unless there is convincing evidence of clandestine weapons programmes.
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