United Nations: United Nations chief weapons inspector Hans Blix has made it clear that he will wait for a new tough UN resolution before sending any advance team to Iraq, after his Vienna talks with high level Iraqi delegates failed to resolve several major issues.

"What we are now waiting for is not really so much for further clarifications from Iraq, which would be nice to have, but rather a new resolution from the Security Council," Blix said on October 15, after briefing the Security Council on the talks.

Blix argued that it would not be conducive to inspections if the inspectors' mandate changes after they have started their work. Therefore, he would like to have a clear mandate before any advance team goes in.

The new resolution is still being negotiated by five UNSC permanent members, US, Britain, Russia, France and China.

Iraq has not agreed that inspectors conduct interviews with its scientists and high officials without escorts, Blix said in his briefing.

Iraq has also not specifically replied to Blix's demand that the inspectors be allowed to use U-2 spy planes and helicopters over Baghdad and set up regional offices in Mosul and Basra.

In fact, a draft resolution prepared by US and Britain goes much beyond and wants to empower the inspectors to take scientists and officials and their families out of the country to conduct interviews.

During the briefing to the Council members, diplomats say, Blix opposed the American proposal, which gives five permanent members the right to send an observer with every inspection team.

He is also opposed to the member state telling which sites to inspect and would not like the presence of military personnel to protect the inspectors.

The fact that Iraq had not agreed to all ground rules explains Blix's letter to Iraq asking it to agree to the rules specified in it and Baghdad sidetracking the issue, according to diplomatic sources.

"We have waited now for nearly four years so we have to have a little patience," Blix said.

Blix also said that the advance teams of inspectors would be in Iraq in about 10 days after the Council adopts the new resolution.

It would have been simpler for everybody if Iraq had affirmed what was in the letter written by him and director general of the UN International Atomic Energy Agency, he said.

Blix's letter contained the ground rules for the inspection.

Iraq sent two letters, which said it is prepared to welcome the inspectors but did not explicitly say that it accepts the ground rules set by the chief inspector. However, it promised to co-operate with the inspectors.

Blix said the inspectors would not force any Iraqi to agree to interview. But they would like to conduct interviews without the presence of any Iraqi government official.

Inspectors had left Iraq in December 1998 ahead of American-British air strikes and have not been allowed back since then.

PTI