US steps up criticism of Baghdad

The United States has stepped up its criticism of Iraq after the UN's chief weapons inspector, Richard Butler, briefed Security Council members about his recent visit to Baghdad.

The United States ambassador to the UN, Bill Richardson, accused Iraq of continuing to snub the international community by extending the areas it says are off-limits to weapons inspectors.

He said the Security Council would take steps to deal with the situation -- but stopped short of threatening military action.

The BBC correspondent at the UN says the United States and Britain are keen to preserve unity on the Security Council.

He says France and Russia are -- in effect -- insisting that Iraq should not be bullied.

For its part, Iraq has criticised UN inspectors for carrying out a surprise search on a tourist resort , in which it said they found nothing.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service