21.   Iraq claims to have eliminated such weapons, but U.N. arms monitors have repeatedly accused it of withholding relevant information.

22.   Iraq on Saturday accused the United States of preparing the ground for a military strike by insisting that U.N. arms monitors be allowed to inspect the palaces.

23.   Iraq on Thursday turned down a request by the chief U.N. weapons inspector to resume cooperation with his teams, saying the arms monitors were receiving orders from Washington.

24.   Iraq has often hindered the work of the arms monitors, Ekeus told Al-Hayat.

25.   Iraq has said it will not allow the U.N. arms monitors to resume inspections.

26.   Iraq may still be concealing nerve gas and missiles, the top U.N. arms monitor said Friday.

27.   It has also accused the United States of manipulating the council and using the arms monitors as spies.

28.   Iraq claims to have done so, but refuses to allow inspections by U.N. arms monitors.

29.   Iraq has made eight presidential compounds off-limits to U.N. arms monitors.

30.   Iraq has said it will not allow the U.N. arms monitors to resume their work.