US secretary of state Colin Powell addresses the UN today, where he will outline intelligence information that challenges Saddam Hussein's weapons denial.

His presentation, which is based upon declassified intelligence, will claim that Iraq has weapons of mass destruction, is attempting to conceal them and has links to terror networks.

But Washington is insisting that the move is not an attempt to lobby for a second UN resolution.

"We're not going to negotiate on a second resolution because we don't need to," said a US official.

Jack Straw will represent Britain at the meeting today.