Paper - Iraq's fate, region's stability in inspectors' hands

BAGHDAD, Iraq -- Iraq hopes for fair treatment from U.N. weapons inspectors because the stability of the entire Persian Gulf region depends on their work, a newspaper owned by Saddam Hussein's son said Sunday.

At the U.N. headquarters in Baghdad a day ahead of the inspectors' expected arrival, workers were seen cleaning the three-story building, while others were working in the garden and fixing the ceiling of the car park.

"We hope and wish that inspection teams and officials will act without bias and objectively as U.N. officials because they bear great and moral responsibility which the fate and future of people depends on as well as the security and stability of a whole region," said Babil, the newspaper owned by Saddam's son, Odai.

A U.S.-led attack is likely if Iraq fails to cooperate fully with the inspectors.

Babil ridiculed calls by Secretary of State Colin Powell and chief U.N. weapons inspector Hans Blix that Iraq prove it does not have weapons of mass destruction.

"Is there anyone who can do this, or prove a denial? Does any person or a U.N. or American official have a method that proves not having what they don't own?" the paper said in a front-page editorial.

Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister Tariq Aziz said Iraq plans to cooperate fully with inspectors but remains unconvinced that doing so will prevent war with the United States.

Aziz told Britain's Independent Television his country does not possess weapons of mass destruction and will give inspectors full access to prove it, according to a transcript released before ITV's Sunday broadcast.

"To be honest, we don't know if dealing with this resolution and the deception of the inspectors are going to prevent this war," Aziz said from Baghdad. "I have to be objective and honest in saying that we in Iraq do not feel that the possibility of the American aggression on Iraq has been totally removed."