U.N. team tries to defuse Iraqi crisis

But the atmosphere of conciliation dissipated over an alleged Iraqi threat to fire on U.S. surveillance planes that patrol Iraq in support of U.N. weapons monitoring.

U.S. Ambassador Bill Richardson condemned the threat as an "irresponsible escalation" of the crisis between Iraq and the United Nations.

Further clouding the mission, the two sides offered differing interpretations of its purpose. Secretary-General Kofi Annan said the three emissaries - from Algeria, Sweden and Argentina - would "discuss with the Iraqis a firm implementation of the U.N. resolution" allowing the inspectors unrestricted access to suspected weapons sites.

But Iraq's ambassador, Nizar Hamdoon, said the mission would open a "dialogue" on Iraqi accusations that the Americans are dragging their feet on lifting of U.N. sanctions by refusing to certify that Iraq has destroyed all its banned weapons.

The crippling economic sanctions were imposed in 1990 after Saddam invaded neighboring Kuwait, triggering a clash that led to the 1991 Gulf War.

The decision to accept the mission was announced after Iraqi authorities refused to admit an American inspector to a suspected weapons site.

Chief inspector Richard Butler of Australia said the team leader chose to abort the planned inspection and advised two other teams to do so as well. Butler called Iraq's action "illegal."

AP PHOTO Iraqi women hold portraits of President Saddam Hussein during a protest yesterday against the latest United Nations resolution in Baghdad.

11-04-97