Politicians have moved quickly to react to Hans Blix's report to the United Nations.

The foreign secretary continued to maintain that Iraq was violating the will of the United Nations.

"Iraq's material breaches are still there," said Jack Straw. "They have lied, they have concealed, they have played games."

He questioned whether Iraq "had come to a genuine acceptance of the disarmament which has been required of it".

And he urged world leaders to "hold our nerve" and "give meaning to our words".

Straw warned that the reputation of the UN as a whole was now on the line.

"This period has been a period of humiliation as games have been played," he said.

"I hope and believe that a peaceful resolution may still be possible, but this will require a dramatic and immediate change by Saddam. This will only be achieved if we in the Security Council hold our nerve in the face of this tyrant," he concluded.

US secretary of state Colin Powell concurred that: "What we need is not more inspections... what we need is immediate, active, full co-operation on the part of Iraq. What we need is for Iraq to disarm."

However the French foreign minister was among the first to say that "inspections are producing results".

Dominique de Villepin said "our credibility and our responsibility" were at stake.

"Not one of us feels the least indulgence towards Saddam Hussein," he said.

"No one claim that the path of war can be shorter or simpler than that of inspections," he said.

"It was only in the event that inspections failed, that a second resolution could be justified."

Therefore "the use of force cannot be justified at this time," he said.

Syrian foreign minister Farouq al-Shara said: "Inspections are bringing about important results, dialogue, co-operation, and mutual confidence between the inspectors and Iraq."

"The council must therefore continue to support the inspectors and allow them sufficient time to undertake their task."

At home the Liberal Democrat foreign affairs spokesman agreed with France that the report showed that "progress" in the inspections process was being achieved and should be given more time.

"Dr Blix's report, highlighting some progress in both process and substance, appears to acknowledge that there is still mileage in the inspections," said Menzies Campbell.

"So long as the inspectors believe that they can continue to fulfil their responsibilities towards the UN Security, it cannot be said that all alternative diplomatic and political options have been exhausted.

"War is only justified as a last resort. Dr Blix's report suggests that we are some distance away from that position."

The Conservatives argued that "time was running out for Saddam".

Iain Duncan Smith said: "Hans Blix has clearly stated that Iraq is in breach of UN Resolution 1441 and that Iraq has not cooperated with the weapons inspectors.

"There are still biological and chemical weapons unaccounted for, and no evidence offered of their destruction," he warned.

"The task given to Hans Blix and his team of inspectors was to verify that Iraq had disarmed and destroyed its weapons of mass destruction.

"The key task now is to make clear how much time Saddam Hussein still has left to comply with Resolution 1441."