European leaders say attack on Iraq needs U.N.'s OK

SCHWERIN, Germany -- The French president warned Iraq Tuesday to "very, very quickly" agree to the return of U.N. weapons inspectors as he and the German leader emerged from a summit meeting to insist an attack against Baghdad would require United Nations approval.

Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder and President Jacques Chirac reaffirmed their long-standing positions as speculation builds that President Bush will order a military offensive to oust Saddam Hussein. Washington accuses the Iraqi leader secretly developing biological and nuclear weapons.

"I do not want to imagine an attack against Iraq, an attack which -- were it to happen -- could only be justified if it were decided on by the Security Council," Chirac said at a joint news conference.

A third round of U.N.-Iraq talks on the return of weapons inspectors collapsed in July, with no date set for another round.

Schroeder said that "there is no majority, on one side or the other, for taking part in military action without approval by the United Nations."