Cabo San Lucas (Mexico): The White House on October 26 said it would be "not hard at all" to assemble an international coalition to disarm Saddam Hussein without UN (United Nations) help.

US President George W Bush is unrelenting in his demand for a tough UN resolution that promises consequences, potentially military action, if the Iraqi leader does not give up his biological, chemical and nuclear weapons programmes, White House spokesman Ari Fleischer said.

"We hope the Council will be strong and send a signal to Saddam Hussein that this time the world means business," Fleischer said aboard Air Force One during Bush's flight to Mexico for the APEC summit of Asian and Pacific Rim leaders.

Agencies