Iraq drops objections to over-flights by U-2 spy aircraft

10.25am - By DAVID USBORNE

NEW YORK - Iraq yesterday moved to try to head off an American-led attack on its territory by giving the green light to over-flights by U-2 spy aircraft and pledging to push through legislation to ban the use of weapons of mass destruction.

The concessions came one day after the chief United Nations weapons inspectors, Hans Blix and Mohamed al-Baradei, wound up two days of urgent talks with Iraqi officials in Baghdad. Overcoming Iraqi objections to the use of U-2 planes was one of the key demands they took to the meetings.

The concessions, which may be too little and too late to impress Washington, came in a letter handed to the inspections directorate at the UN in New York by Iraq's ambassador, Mohamed al-Douri. They represented the first concrete fruit of the meetings with Mr Blix and Mr Baradei.

"The inspectors are now free to use the American U-2s as well as French and Russian planes," Mr al-Douri announced. Previously, Iraq had refused to guarantee the safety of the U-2 because of its long-standing objections to continuing American and British patrols over the no-fly zones.

Less encouragingly, Mr Blix said new documents handed over by Iraq purporting to back up its claim it had destroyed missing chemical and biological weapons and agents did not, at first sight, seem to offer any new evidence.

The Iraqi ambassador promised the legislation banning weapons of mass destruction - another condition laid down by the inspectors - would be adopted in Baghdad before the end of next week. He also said Iraq would do more to encourage Iraqi scientists to accept private interviews with inspectors.

"They should have done this months, if not years ago," a British official responded. "The big question is are we seeing Iraq throwing bits out here and there just to impress the Security Council or does this represent a real change in attitude? Is this just process, or a shift in substance as well?"

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Herald feature: Iraq