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Politics : Foreign Affairs Discussion Group -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: stockman_scott who wrote (46290)	9/23/2002 6:42:08 PM
From: maceng2	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 281500

Blair's dossier to prove Iraq weapons build-up news.ft.com Tony Blair's government will on Tuesday publish a long-awaited dossier on Iraq's weapons of mass destruction which suggests Saddam Hussein is seeking to develop a ballistic missile system that could ultimately threaten British military bases in Cyprus. As the government prepares for a one-day debate on the Iraq crisis in the House of Commons, its 55-page dossier will state that Mr Hussein has improved - and is seeking to improve - the range and effectiveness of ballistic missiles that could carry chemical and biological warheads. Unveiling the dossier to a special meeting of the cabinet, Mr Blair said the threat from Iraq's WMD was "real and serious" and had grown worse in the four years in which United Nations weapons inspectors have been absent from the country. He told cabinet the dossier drew on the latest military intelligence and left no doubt that, despite the imposition of sanctions, Mr Hussein was continuing his WMD programme. Downing Street officials said the cabinet discussion had been "serious and hard-headed", with nearly all ministers contributing. Happy to back the PM Gordon Brown Jack Straw Geoff Hoon David Blunkett Tessa Jowell Estelle Morris Alan Milburn Lord Irvine Patricia Hewitt Charles Clarke Hilary Armstrong Supportive, but led more by Brown than Blair Alistair Darling Andrew Smith Paul Boateng Loyal but questioning John Prescott John Reid Helen Riddell Paul Murphy Lord Williams Said to have concerns but has not spoken out Margaret Beckett Serious doubts Robin Cook Claire Short A bigger challenge facing the government will come at Monday's Commons debate on Iraq, which is set to witness a tense confrontation between the government and Labour backbenchers over Mr Blair's determination to confront the Iraqi president. In an interview with the Financial Times, Charles Clarke, the party chairman, became the first British cabinet minister to spell out "very significant differences" between the US and UK over how to deal with Iraq. Mr Clarke said the US appeared to be principally interested in securing regime change in Iraq "as something that stands on its own as an issue". He suggested the main focus of the UK government was on dealing with Iraq's weapons of mass destruction. A report by the International Institute for Strategic Studies into Iraq's weapons showed that Baghdad could probably put together several 650km al-Hussein missiles. If Iraq were able to perfect this capability, it could hit the two British sovereign bases on Cyprus. Monday's developments came as a Guardian/ICM poll on Tuesday shows Labour's lead over the Conservatives has been cut to just five points.