Iraq has accepted a tough new UN resolution that will return weapons inspectors to the country after nearly four years.
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The acceptance letter was being delivered today to Secretary-General Kofi Annan's office by Iraqi Ambassador Mohammed Al-Douri, an Arab diplomat said.
"It's a long letter - but the short answer is that they accept," said the diplomat.
He added that the letter said Iraq was eagre for weapons inspectors to "perform their duties withing international laws", despite the UN resolution's "bad contents."
Asked about Iraq's weapons Mr Al-Douri said: "No we do not have weapons of mass destruction, we are clean."
Mr Annan was in Washington today to deliver a speech and meet President Bush, who has repeatedly threatened Iraq with a US-led war if it fails to comply with inspectors.
The secretary-general yesterday dismissed a vote by Iraq's parliament opposing the tough new resolution and expressed hope that the government would accept the resolution adopted unanimously last Friday by the Security Council.
Iraq's acceptance clears the way for the arrival of an advance team of inspectors on Monday.
It will be led by UN chief inspector Mr Hans Blix, who is in charge of biological and chemical inspections, and Mohamed ElBaradei, head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, which is in charge of nuclear inspections.
Iraq's parliament recommended that Saddam reject the resolution, which demands that Iraq co-operate fully with inspectors, who can go anywhere at any time tosearch for weapons of mass destruction.
It warns that Iraq faces "serious consequences" if it doesn't comply - and the United States has made clear that an Iraqi failure to co-operate will almostcertainly mean a new war.
The countries likely to lead the attack, Britain and the US, both welcomed otday's decision. The White House saidthe Iraqis must further signal cooperation "by their actions."
"The latest reports that the regime in Iraq has agreed tocooperate and comply ... we have heard this before, and now it's time to see it by their actions," spokesman Mr Scott McClellan told reporters. AP
