http://www.cnn.com/2003/US/02/14/sprj.irq.un/index.htmlUNITED NATIONS (CNN) -- The leaders of the U.N. weapons inspection effort in Iraq told the U.N. Security Council on Friday that inspectors had not found any weapons of mass destruction during their search in Iraq, but they did not rule out the possibility that they may exist.
Hans Blix, executive chairman of the U.N. Monitoring, Verification and Inspection Commission, and Mohamed ElBaradei, director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency, delivered key reports Friday to the council, which is sharply divided over the best course to take to get Iraq to disarm.
In a sign of the high stakes involved, U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell and foreign ministers from Russia, China, France, Germany and Britain traveled to New York to present their countries\' views rather than leaving the task to their U.N. ambassadors. (Speakers following Blix and ElBaradei)
Blix said that the chief problem for U.N. weapons inspectors lies in locating chemical weapons such as the deadly VX nerve agent that Iraq was known to have in 1998 but that is not on the Iraqi declaration to the United Nations.
"Another matter, and one of great significance, is that many proscribed weapons and items are not accounted for," Blix said. "One must not jump to the conclusion that they exist. However, that possibility is also not excluded. If they exist, they should be presented for destruction."
He also said that Iraq\'s al-Samoud 2 missile exceeded the range of 93 miles (150 kilometers) allowed by U.N. resolutions. Iraqi officials have said the missile did not yet have a guidance system, which would reduce its range.
ElBaradei said U.N. inspectors in Iraq have so far found no evidence of nuclear weapons but they continue to investigate.
He said Iraq has provided documentation on several outstanding issues, but he said the documents did not clarify the matters.
Iraqi cooperation "will speed up the process," ElBaradei said, although it is possible to complete inspections without cooperation.
ElBaradei stopped short of saying Iraq was not currently cooperating.
He said that Iraq has provided immediate access to all inspection locations and that four Iraqi scientists have been interviewed in private.
Blix said he had seen no evidence that Iraq had advance knowledge of the inspectors\' plans.
Blix also said that the satellite photographs of a declared site Powell presented to the council last week could have shown routine activity, rather than the movement of illicit materials.
He also said that screening on chemical and biological samples taken from suspected sights has been consistent with Iraq\'s declaration.
After the presentations, French Foreign Minister Dominique de Villepin said that it was clear that inspections were working and that there was not yet any justification for using force against Iraq.
"Inspections are producing results. ... The option of inspections has not been taken to the end," de Villepin said. "The use of force would be so fraught with risk for people, for the region and for international stability that it should only be envisioned as a last resort."
The United States and Britain are expected to argue Friday that Iraq is indeed in "material breach" of the resolution and that the consequences -- namely military action -- should follow.
But France, Russia, China and Germany -- opposed to using military force -- have joined forces to propose a plan to increase the number of inspectors and give them more time to hunt for weapons.
As representatives to the Security Council gathered Friday morning, Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov gave the inspectors copies of a letter said to rebut many of the points Powell made last week in his presentation to the council.
Iraqi presidential decree
Iraq\'s National Assembly also held what it called an "extraordinary session" Friday ahead of the report, Iraqi officials said.
Before that meeting, Saddam issued a decree banning weapons of mass destruction. (Full story)
The decree prohibits nongovernment importation and production of biological, chemical and nuclear weapons.
Inspectors have not had an opportunity to study that decree, Blix said. But ElBaradei called it a "step in the right direction."
The United States said it places no value on Saddam\'s decree.
U.S., Britain work on new resolution
The United States and Britain are preparing a new Security Council resolution that, in the words of one U.S. official involved in the discussions, makes it clear "the time has come to enforce [Resolution] 1441." The exact language is being hammered out between Washington and London.
While a slim chance exists the new resolution could be presented Friday, it is more likely to be introduced early next week, the official said.
However, getting another resolution through the Security Council may be difficult. France, China and Russia are permanent council members with veto power, and Germany currently chairs the council.
While they said they would welcome another resolution, U.S. and British officials maintain that 1441 gives them the authority to proceed with military action against Iraq.
"It is our decision as to whether or not we move a second resolution," British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw said.
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