Blix: No need for war

2003-12-23 21:33

London - Former UN chief weapons inspector Hans Blix said Libya's renunciation of weapons of mass destruction under diplomatic pressure shows that Iraq could have been contained in the same way, without the need for war.

Asked in a BBC interview if Libya's decision was the direct consequence of a US military threat, Blix replied, "No, I think that's going a bit far."

He said military pressure "might have been a factor," but he noted that Libyan leader Muammar Ghaddafi had ceded after years of pressure.

"You could just as well say that the example shows that perhaps Iraq could have been handled also with continuous containment," Blix said.

His inspectors failed to find any evidence that Iraq was producing nuclear, chemical or biological weapons.

The United States and its allies, nevertheless insisted the weapons existed and US forces led the invasion of Iraq on March 20.

"Pressure, including military pressure, is important but does not necessarily mean that one should go to war," Blix commented.

Asked about reports that David Kay, the head of the US-led coalition's weapons search group in Iraq, is about to step down, Blix said: "Certainly, it is an indication that the US government is giving much higher priority to the search for terrorists than the search for weapons."

He added, "they might even have given up on the weapons."

Blix said earlier this month that Baghdad probably destroyed the arms after the 1991 Gulf war as Iraqi leaders claimed all along.

- AFP