Powell's speech heightens prospect of war, says Clark

11.30am

New evidence about Iraq possessing weapons of mass destruction had raised the prospect of war to well above 70 per cent, Prime Minister Helen Clark said today.

After hearing what United States Secretary of State Colin Powell told the United Nations Security Council today, Miss Clark said it now looked very likely there would be "catastrophic consequences with or without UN Security Council approval".

There could be war with Iraq early next month unless there was a radical change of attitude from Iraqi authorities, she said.

The chances of war had now grown well beyond her earlier estimate of 70 per cent, unless Iraq President Saddam Hussein left the country, and unless Iraq came clean on a pattern of deception, Miss Clark told reporters gathered for Waitangi Day celebrations.

She said America had produced what looked like "pretty good evidence of a pattern of deception to ensure the (United Nations weapons) inspectors couldn't find out where anything is".

"It is the consequences of that the Security Council is going to debate," she added.

During his speech to the UN, Mr Powell referred to Iraq having long-range missiles which Miss Clark said could pose a threat New Zealand warships patrolling the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian sea looking for terrorists or banned cargo.

However, the ships would not be withdrawn or diverted out of the area.

Miss Clark said the Government believed war would be a catalyst to more hatred towards Muslims and possibly unsettle governments which might be friendly towards western nations.

- NZPA

Herald feature: Iraq