DAVOS, Jan 24: United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan said on Saturday a statement by the outgoing chief US arms hunter that Iraq had no stockpiles of weapons of mass destruction should be taken seriously.

David Kay resigned on Friday, saying he had concluded that Iraq did not have stockpiles of biological and chemical weapons, a finding that could embarrass President George Bush abroad and help his election-year Democratic rivals at home.

Mr Annan told reporters that Mr Kay, who led a fruitless hunt for weapons after the invasion of Iraq last year, was credible.

"He's an experienced inspector, he had worked with the U.N. before and he has also taken on this thing. And I think his report and what he says should be taken seriously," Mr Annan said.

The U.N. Security Council did not approve military action in Iraq because the United States failed to convince a majority of members of an imminent threat from Iraqi weapons of mass destruction.-Reuters