UNITED NATIONS, Feb 1: Russia and Syria on Friday said that Iraq should be allowed to speak at the UN Security Council meeting next Wednesday when US Secretary of State Colin Powell provided evidence against Baghdad.

Initially, Syria, a non-permanent member of the council, made the request which was endorsed by the Russian Ambassador to the United Nations, Sergei Lavrov, who said Iraq had every right to address the council under the provisions of the UN Charter.

Diplomats here said that a decision to invite Iraq to speak could be made on Monday following consultations. Iraq’s Deputy Prime Minister, Tariq Aziz, could come to New York to rebut US charges on its weapons’ programme.

Foreign Ministers of 10 members of the Security Council, — Russian, France, Britain, Germany, Spain, Bulgaria Mexico, Chile, Syria and Pakistan — are expected to be at hand when Powell shows alleged new evidence against Iraq

Germany, one of the most outspoken opponent of war, assumed the rotating presidency of the Security Council on Saturday for the month of February.

The other 13 council delegates will draw lots to determine the speaking order, and will be limited to about 10 minutes. The UN weapons inspectors Hans Blix and Mohamed ElBaradei are also expected to attend but not speak.

Council members agreed that no formal council statement or resolution would be issued or voted on at the meeting’s end.

Meanwhile, the opposition to an imminent US invasion of Iraq continued to grow in the United States as lawmakers on Capitol Hill spoke out against Mr Bush’s impatience with UN inspections.

SADDAM EXILE: Iraq’s UN ambassador on Friday dismissed the idea of his President Saddam going into exile to prevent a war.