The British Foreign Secretary, Robin Cook, has accused the Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein of lying about chemical and biological weapons.

Mr Cook warned him not to doubt Britain's determination to ensure he gives them up.

"Saddam would be making a big mistake if he underestimated our resolve to make sure he does not keep chemical or biological weapons," he said in London on Wednesday.

British Foreign Secretary Robin Cook tells Saddam Britain will not back down(0'20")

"If he is wise he will respond to the diplomatic initiatives for a solution while he still has time to do so.

"Our quarrel is with Saddam and with his continuing attempts to build an arsenal of terror. It is vital that he be stopped."

Mr Cook made his remarks in London before leaving for Kuwait and Saudi Arabia for talks on the escalating crisis.

The support of both countries will be essential to the US and Britain in the event of military action against Iraq.

Secret weapons

Mr Cook said Iraq had seriously underreported its war arsenal.

He said Iraq had 8,400 litres of anthrax rather than 650 litres as first declared and insisted it had also admitted to producing 4 tonnes of lethal VX nerve gas and could not account for chemicals capable of producing another 200 tonnes.

He said Britain favoured a "peaceful solution" and did not want to use force, but it would not allow Saddam "to continue to obstruct" the weapons inspection teams.

The teams' work, Mr Cook added, was crucial as was the "guarantee that Saddam will not amass a stockpile of weapons of mass destruction".

"It is a tale of repeated deception. If Saddam Hussein gets his hands on the weapons he has been trying so hard to produce, his neighbours in the Gulf could never be secure.

"Underlying Britain's approach to the present crisis is our concern for Gulf security and our wish to ensure that Saddam Hussein never threatens it again."

His visit to the Middle East comes a day after the US Secretary of State Madeline Albright ended her tour of the region.

But she failed to win more than token backing for renewed military action against Saddam Hussein.

US efforts appear to be focusing not so much on avoiding a military attack but on generating international support for it.

Bahrain only gave qualified backing while Saudi Arabia has refused to allow US airstrikes to be launched from its territories.

Madeleine Albright claims Middle East support

Although the Arab world appears hesitant in its support for America, the Secretary of State says it is enough.

Speaking at the end of her six-day Middle Eastern tour, Mrs Albright said: "I have had, I think, very positive support. We believe that we will have all the co-operation we need across the board."

Diplomacy efforts continue

Of the big UN powers, the US has unequivocal support for military action only from Britain.

China is opposed to the use of any sort of force. And both France and Russia have peace envoys discussing proposals in Baghdad.

Meanwhile the British Foreign Office says Britain is continuing to work on a fresh UN Security Council Resolution to present to Iraq.

The objective is to increase the political and diplomatic pressure on Saddam Hussein.

While refusing to confirm the wording of the document, a spokesman said it would give the Iraqi leader a final chance to pull back.

The office says some negotiation would be needed with Russia over the resolution, but France was in favour of the idea "in principle".
 

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