BAGHDAD, Aug 4: Chief UN weapons inspector Hans Blix on Sunday ruled out a visit to Baghdad for talks on renewed arms inspections, as the war of words stepped up between Iraq and the administration of US President George W. Bush.

“Psychologically, I think it would be better that an official of my political standing does not go to Baghdad before they (the Iraqis) accept inspections,” Blix told the Arabic-language Al-Hayat newspaper.

Holding talks in Baghdad with Iraqi authorities at this stage “will raise expectations without foundation,” said the Swede who heads the UN Monitoring, Verification and Inspection Commission (UNMOVIC), which has never set foot in Iraq.

In a letter to UN Secretary General Kofi Annan on Thursday, Iraqi Foreign Minister Naji Sabri extended an invitation to Blix and members of his team to discuss the possible resumption of weapons inspections, halted in Dec 1998.

But Blix said the chances of a possible war against Baghdad would go up if he were to visit but talks were unsuccessful: “The situation will be much worse if I visit Baghdad and the talks fail. We do not want hopes raised.”

He added that he was ready for talks with Iraqi officials on the method of future inspections if Baghdad accepted that they resume “conforming to UN resolutions.”

“We don’t know what operational arrangements the Iraqis will be ready to accept,” he said.

During the failed UN-Iraq disarmament talks in Vienna last month, the Iraqis demanded “four conditions to allow a return of the inspectors”, said Blix.

Baghdad asked for talks on the no-fly zones in the north and south of Iraq, US threats to topple Saddam Hussein, the lifting of the 12-year-old embargo and regional disarmament, he said. “It currently seems that none of these conditions can be granted.”

Bush brushed off the invitation to Blix on Saturday, stressing that the United States continued to support a regime change in Iraq and would use all means at its disposal to obtain it.

“I am a patient man,” he said. “I’ll use all the tools at our disposal. Nothing’s changed.”

As Washington stepped up its rhetoric, the state-run Baghdad media reacted by slamming the Bush administration for rejecting Blix’s invitation.

“It was anticipated that the Bush administration and his lackey (British Prime Minister Tony) Blair would adopt this position since they constantly seek to doubt Iraq’s stance and the usefulness of dialogue with the United Nations,” said Ath-Thawra, mouthpiece of the ruling Baath party.

“Their position on Iraq’s new initiative surprises no one because these two countries will continue to doubt the usefulness of inspections, whatever Iraq’s stance.”

The daily urged “members of the Security Council and all UN member states to assume their responsibility in the face of destructive US whims and strongly support the new Iraqi initiative and encourage its desire to hold an objective and sincere dialogue with UNMOVIC”.

UNMOVIC was set up in 1999 to replace the previous UN mission which was withdrawn from Iraq on the eve of a US and British bombing campaign the previous year.—AFP