Bush: Saddam 'Is Not Disarming'

President George W Bush has said a US-led coalition can move against Iraq without a second United Nations resolution, and no delay over disarmament will be tolerated.

Baghdad "is not disarming" and remains a "danger to the world," Mr. Bush warned.

He was speaking at a joint news conference with UK Prime Minister Tony Blair after the two leaders held talks at the White House.

They are trying to rally international support to make Iraq disarm - using force if necessary.

"Should the United Nations decide to pass a second resolution, it would be welcomed if it is yet another signal that we're intent upon disarming Saddam Hussein," Mr. Bush said. "But," he added, the original UN vote "gives us the authority to move without a (second) resolution".

The president insisted on bringing the disarmament standoff to a head "in a matter of weeks and not months."

His comments were echoed by Mr. Blair, who said time was "running out."

The BBC's Andrew Marr says there is some disagreement between the two leaders on strategy.

Our correspondent says President Bush wants to resolve the Iraqi crisis through force if need be - but Mr. Blair wants to ensure that any war is backed by a large international consensus.

Before heading for Washington, Mr. Blair shored up support among several European countries for the tough US line.

Their summit came after Mr. Blair and seven other European leaders backed the tough American stance on Iraq in a joint letter published on Thursday.

The statement backed a transatlantic alliance to disarm Iraq - a move which underlined a split from France and Germany's determination to avoid war.

The Turkish Government, for its part, is to ask the parliament in Ankara for permission to allow foreign troops to use Turkish bases.

US allegations rejected the UN's chief nuclear arms inspector Mohamed ElBaradei has demanded Iraq make concrete steps towards co-operation if he and chief inspector Hans Blix are to accept Baghdad's invitation for talks.

Iraq has asked them to visit before they make another progress report to the Security Council on 14 February.

In particular, Mr ElBaradei called on Iraq to allow his team to question Iraqi scientists without official minders present and to give permission for overflights by U2 surveillance planes.

Although the inspectors have found fault with the level of Iraqi co-operation, Mr Blix has rejected allegations raised by the Bush administration that his inspectors are being deliberately deceived.

In an interview with the New York Times, he challenged the accusation that Iraqi officials were moving illegal materials to prevent their discovery.

And he said there was no evidence to back US suspicions that scientists were being sent to Syria and other countries to avoid interviews with inspectors, nor that agents were posing as scientists for questioning.

Moreover he rejected suggestions his teams had been infiltrated by Iraqi agents and that intelligence was being leaked.

It has been suggested that some of these allegations may be brought up by US Secretary of State Colin Powell when he presents the Security Council next week with what he says will be new evidence of Iraq's failure to comply with UN demands.

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