Middle East: Talks Begin on Iraq-UN Stand-Off

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With Iraq seemingly bent on defying the United Nations, the world watched nervously yesterday as negotiations on overcoming the crisis began in Baghdad. But, as David Usborne observes, hopes of a quick resolution are not high.

There was scant sign of any easy way out of the latest confrontation between Iraq and the United Nations yesterday as special UN envoy Richard Butler arrived in Baghdad for two days of crisis talks with government officials.

While sounding a somewhat conciliatory tone before talks with Iraq's foreign minister, Tariq Aziz, Mr Butler rejected a deadline on concluding UN efforts to unearth and dismantle weapons of mass destruction in the …