U.N. pessimism on Iraq inspectors

U.N. arms inspectors left Iraq in 1998 and have been prevented from returning

VIENNA, Austria -- United Nations officials are holding talks in Vienna with senior Iraqi figures, aimed at returning weapons inspectors to Baghdad.

But there is little optimism that Secretary-General Kofi Annan's call for a decisive meeting will be achieved.

Iraq is tying the weapons inspectorate to other issues such as sanctions, the no-fly zones imposed over the north and the south of the country, and President George W. Bush's threats to topple Saddam Hussein.

U.N. spokesman Fred Eckhard told Reuters: "Our hope is that this time we can get something definitive on the return of inspectors.

"For the secretary-general that is really the key and the major step to put Iraq in a position to become in full compliance with U.N. Security Council resolutions."

Weapons inspectors were sent to Iraq after the Gulf War to oversee the destruction of weapons of mass destruction.

But Iraq refused to comply totally with the U.N. teams saying they had been infiltrated by spies.

The last weapons inspectors left Iraq in 1998 ahead of a renewed U.S.- British bombing campaign which was intended to persuade President Hussein to comply with the inspectors' work.

The two-day Vienna session is the third between U.N. and Iraqi delegations this year.

At the end of the last meeting, Baghdad submitted 19 questions, on subjects ranging from the inspectors to Bush's threat to bring about a "regime change" in Iraq.

Iraqi Foreign Minister Naji Sabri said he was attending the meeting with "good intentions and good faith" but wanted a "comprehensive settlement."

CNN diplomatic correspondent Richard Roth said that indicated Iraq would continue attempts to find a deal on sanctions and the no-fly zones.

Iraq's Deputy Prime Minister Tariq Aziz said: "The sanctions have been in place for 12 years, and Iraq has been the victim of aggression for this long period -- the situation has to cease.

"We hope the international community will do its best to put an end to this ugly situation."