BRUSSELS, July 11 (Xinhuanet) -- Iraqi Foreign Minister Naji
Sabriwill visit Brussels within two weeks to discuss the possible return
of United Nations (UN) weapons inspectors to Iraq, the Belgian Foreign
Ministry said Thursday.
In a rare trip to Europe, Sabri will meet Belgian Foreign Minister
Louis Michel, who told the Senate on Wednesday he had agreed to the visit
"despite dissuasive advice from across the horizon" -- a clear reference
to the United States.
Michel told senators in testimony published on Thursday he was
opposed to mixing up the fight against international terrorism with the
situation in Iraq.
US President George W. Bush said Monday he would use all available
means to oust Iraqi President Saddam Hussein, after branding Iraq a member
of an "axis of evil" for allegedly sponsoring terrorism and seeking
weapons of mass destruction.
Michel said any US strike on Iraq would cause "extremely serious
difficulties" to European governments and public opinion, especially in
Belgium.
He said he would tell Sabri that Iraq must abide by the UN
resolutions and allow inspectors in to search for weapons of mass
destruction. Iraq has always said it has no weapons of mass destruction.
Sabri said Wednesday Baghdad was ready to resume talks with theUN
to resolve the impasse on arms monitors. UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan
and Sabri had spent two days on intensive talks in Vienna last week, but
failed to reach an agreement on the issue.
Michel said he would urge European Union states to launch an
initiative on Iraq "to try and create a different formal context."He did
not elaborate, but said Baghdad might be more receptive to calls to comply
with the UN resolutions if they came from Europe.
"There exists a political opportunity which the European Union is
incapable of seizing today," he said. Enditem
