UN resolutions and international law are the way forward with Iraq, said the European Commission on Wednesday.

Speaking to MEPs, commissioner for external relations, Chris Patten argued for a broad alliance to force Baghdad's compliance with existing UN resolutions.

Striking a note of caution amid the "tumult of speeches and articles", the Brussels foreign affairs chief called for a debate on Iraq's future to "shed light as well as heat".

"I just wish I was as certain about some of the answers as are those whose voices are currently raised so loud," he told the European parliament.

Acknowledging "that we can have no doubt about the evil nature of the regime led by Saddam Hussein", Patten suggested hat a radical rethink of international relations was due.

"We have to think constructively about what can and should justify intervention by the international community in the internal affairs of a sovereign state," he said.

"We have to think equally constructively about whether the global rule book that has by and large governed our affairs for the last 50 years is still valid or whether it requires some changes, and how it can be refined and strengthened."

International divisions between hawks in Washington and doves in Europe's capitals have opened up on the question of UN weapons inspectors.

Patten signalled that for the EU, UN resolutions on weapons of mass destruction are the way forward.

"Meeting at Elsinore last weekend Europe's foreign ministers called for full implementation of the UN resolutions and a resumption of inspections without excuses, without prevarication, without 'ifs' and buts. That is obviously the best way forward."

"We must recognise that efforts to force Iraqi compliance are more likely to succeed if they are backed by a coalition of concerned parties as broad and effective as that which was put together in 1991 with great diplomatic finesse."

In a clear signal that US unilateralism would be unacceptable for Brussels, the former British minister urged "every nation" to abide by the UN.

"We must all respect the authority of the United Nations and of international law. The Security Council has charted the way forward in dealing with this intensely difficult problem and every nation should act within the framework of the decisions and resolutions issued by the UN," he insisted.

No Labour MEPs spoke in the parliamentary debate, while Conservatives called on European leaders to support the US.

Tory European affairs spokesman, Dr Charles Tannock MEP, claimed that some of his colleagues applied double standards to Iraq.

"Lets also be morally consistent, nobody asked for UN resolutions to attack Milosevic's Serbia and human rights violations were deemed sufficient," he said.

"Surely Saddam Hussein's violations of the Kurds whom he has gassed, the Marsh Arabs and Shias whom he has tortured and the Israelis where he has paid the families of suicide bombers to kill innocent victims is worse than Milosevic's crimes."

Conservative EU spokesman for Defence, Geoffrey van Orden MEP, took European doves to task.

"What a pity that other allies have not contributed along with the US and UK to the ongoing military build up over Iraq."

"It would be fatal if Saddam Hussein misread the intentions of the West. We must send a clear signal that we stand together on this."