Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)

DATE=11/18/02

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

NUMBER=2-296563

TITLE=BRIT/U-S/IRAQ (S-O)

BYLINE=ROGER WILKISON

DATELINE=BRUSSELS

CONTENT=

VOICED AT:

INTRO: British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw says the U-N weapons inspectors who arrived in Iraq are Saddam Hussein's last chance to give up weapons of mass destruction. V-O-A's Roger Wilkison reports from Brussels, where Mr. Straw is attending an E-U foreign ministers' meeting.

TEXT: Mr. Straw says he is certain that Iraq will be disarmed. But he says it is up to Saddam Hussein to decide whether his country will be disarmed peacefully or by other means.

Mr. Straw says the Iraqi leader is not to be trusted. But he told reporters that Saddam Hussein does have common sense, an instinct for survival, and realizes what the consequences will be if he fails to comply with the U-N Security Council resolution for inspections of Iraq's weapons of mass destruction.

Mr. Straw says the only reason the inspectors are in Iraq is that the U-N resolution is backed up, by what he called, the credible threat of force issued by the United States and Britain.

Iraq has vowed to cooperate with the inspectors. Iraqi officials say they are doing so to deny the United States a pretext to attack.

Mr. Straw later told the British Broadcasting Corporation that this is Saddam Hussein's final opportunity to comply with international law and the rule of the Security Council. (SIGNED)

NEB/RW/AWP/RAE