The Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister Tariq Aziz is accusing the chief United Nations' Weapons Inspector, Richard Butler, of deliberately seeking to step up the tension between Iraq and the UN.

His allegation follows Mr Butler's statement on Friday that he had evidence that the Iraqi authorities were concealing weapons of mass destruction at so-called presidential sites, to which UN inspectors have been denied access.

Mr Aziz said Mr Butler's claims were inaccurate and that UN inspectors had visited 119 sites in the past two years without finding anything.

Saddam Hussein has refused to allow UN inspectors into presidential palaces

However, whilst a group of journalists were recently shown around a number of palaces, including president Saddam Hussein's main residence in Baghdad, Iraq still insists that the UN's weapons inspectors will never be given access to any palace.

As a result, the lines of confrontation between the UN and Iraq are more sharply drawn than ever.

As before, the security council is also divided over how it should respond.

Whilst the United States and Britain say that Iraq must allow unconditional access, the other three main powers (Russia, France and China) take a more sympathetic approach.

The Council will meet again next week and for now at least the United States is still prepared to give diplomacy a chance.

But senior US officials are also indicating that their patience is not infinite and that military action remains a real possibility.
 

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