UNITED NATIONS — In its boldest move yet to evade international disarmament efforts, Iraq announced Saturday that it was ending all cooperation with United Nations weapons inspectors.
The action by Iraqi President Saddam Hussein came a day after the U.N. Security Council agreed on the shape of a new review of Iraq's progress in eliminating prohibited weapons. However, the council declined to pledge that the review would lead, as Baghdad desires, to the swift lifting of trade sanctions imposed after Iraq's 1990 invasion of Kuwait.
Iraq halted most cooperation with weapons inspectors Aug. 5, but Saturday's action ratchets up the confrontation by ending even the limited investigations it previously permitted.
Although details of Iraq's intentions were not fully clear, it appears that the inspectors will essentially be confined to their quarters in Baghdad.
Iraq's decision brought quick reaction at the United Nations, in Washington and in other capitals.
The Security Council quickly convened and unanimously condemned Iraq's decision, terming it a "flagrant violation" of U.N. resolutions. It said Hussein's government must resume "immediate, complete and unconditional cooperation" with the arms inspectors, and only then will the council begin reviewing Iraq's compliance.
The council and the United States stopped short of threatening any specific retaliation. In the past, the U.S. and Britain have threatened military action to force compliance with inspections, but the use of force has received little support from other council members or Arab nations.
Security Council members called the restrictions on the inspectors "deeply disturbing" and pledged to continue efforts to resolve the latest in a series of crises over weapons destruction.
Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Henry H. Shelton, CIA Director George J. Tenet and other top officials met with National Security Advisor Samuel R. "Sandy" Berger at the White House.
Defense Secretary William S. Cohen canceled a weeklong Asian tour and was en route back to Washington to participate in discussions about the new standoff with Iraq.
"Iraq's action is a direct defiance of the Security Council and the obligations it undertook at the end of the Gulf War," White House spokesman Barry Toiv said.
White Houses Stresses Gravity of Situation
