The Iraqi parliament will convene in emergency session today to decide on a UN resolution to disarm Iraq.
"The parliament will convene at 7 p.m. in accordance with a decision by President Saddam Hussein," an Iraqi parliamentary source said. "Parliament will take the necessary decision regarding the UN Security Council resolution."
Iraqi television said Mr Saddam had ordered parliament to discuss Friday's unanimous UN Security Council vote demanding unfettered access to sites suspected of being used to develop weapons of mass destruction.
Iraq has until next Friday to agree to the UN terms. Weapons inspectors are due to travel to Baghdad next Monday to set up communications, transport and laboratories.
In Washington, officials said President Bush had approved plans for the invasion of Iraq if it failed to comply fully with the resolution.
The plan, based on the lessons learned during the Afghan conflict, calls for the quick capture of Iraqi territory to establish forward bases to be used to propel 200,000 or more troops deeper into the country.
Iraq's official press yesterday praised the world community for choosing diplomacy over war by adopting the UN resolution, which it said defeated US plans to wage war.
"The awareness of the world of the US objectives and motives has uncovered and exposed the evil British-American plan and foiled the first of its series - to automatically use force against Iraq," Al-Jumhuriya newspaper said.
Meanwhile in Cairo, where he was attending an Arab League meeting, the Iraqi Foreign Minister, Mr Naji Sabri, said he hoped UN weapons inspectors would "not resort to provocations", in another sign Baghdad was preparing for their return under a new UN disarmament resolution.
However, Mr Sabri also said "Iraq has not yet taken a decision on resolution 1441 of the UN Security Council", following a two-day meeting of Arab foreign ministers.
Mr Sabri also told a press conference Arab foreign ministers would ask the UN Security Council to send Arab experts along with UN inspectors to Iraq.
The number of Arabs in the UN disarmament commission, UNMOVIC, could be "counted on the fingers of one hand" even though "dozens, even hundreds, of Arab experts could take part".
Foreign Ministers Ahmed Maher of Egypt and Saud al-Faisal of Saudi Arabia gave strong indications during the meeting that Iraq was ready to accept the UN resolution. - (Reuters/AFP)