Baghdad is refusing the arms inspectors access to the sites of presidential palaces, which it insists are not being used to conceal weapons of mass destruction. But the US administration wants independent proof.

It has already put forward a draft resolution to the UN Security Council demanding immediate and unconditional access to all locations where arms could be stored. Now the Secretary of Defence, William Cohen, has urged the Council to send a resounding signal to Iraq that barring the inspectors is unacceptable and to stress that there is no division on the issue among Security Council members.

In doing so, he has reiterated the line taken by American officials throughout the recent diplomatic crisis in the Gulf. The United States wants the UN to be seen to take the lead, realising that it would be politically counter-productive to act alone.