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Blair: Iraq Must Cooperate or Be Disarmed by Force - 2003-01-31


British Prime Minister Tony Blair -- heading to Washington for talks with President Bush-- says Iraq must fully cooperate with U-N weapons inspectors or be disarmed by force.

Mr. Blair says the disarmament of Iraq is inevitable and that it is up to Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein to decide if it comes about peacefully or by force.

The president's strongest European supporter made the comment during a stop-over in Spain Thursday where he met with Spanish Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar. Mr. Aznar called for a new U-N resolution authorizing force against Iraq if Baghdad fails to disarm.

Officials say the possible second resolution may be one topic Mr. Bush and Mr. Blair discuss today (Friday).

Their talks come ahead of U-S Secretary of State Colin Powell's address at the United Nations next week, when he is expected to reveal recently declassified intelligence that Washington says proves Iraq is not cooperating with U-N inspectors.

On Thursday, the White House said Mr. Bush "appreciates" a declaration of solidarity published by European leaders from Britain, Spain, Italy, Portugal, Hungary, Poland, Denmark and the Czech Republic.

The declaration does not mention the possibility of war, but says the international community must stay united in efforts to eliminate Iraqi weapons of mass destruction.

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