Amid growing speculation of an early war, Hans Blix has called for more time to finally decide on Iraq's weapons programme.

Iraq is engaged in a "substantial measure of disarmament", Blix told the United Nations on Friday.

The chief weapons inspector said that to "solve key issues of verification" his team's work would "not take years, not weeks, but months".

Nuclear weapons inspector Mohammed ElBaradei added that the had found "no evidence of attempts to revive Iraq's nuclear programme".

In his latest report to the Security Council, Blix said there had been "relatively few difficulties" in inspecting key sites and that "lethal weapons are being destroyed".

He said there had been an "acceleration of initiatives" but felt it was too early to say whether there was a true change in attitude.

Iraqi cooperation was welcome, but did not necessarily constitute the "immediate" assistance specified by UN resolution 1441, he made clear.

Delivering a blow to Britain and the US, Blix confirmed that Iraq had been offering names of potential interviewees.

Revealing that Iraq was engaged in real disarmament, the inspector said "we are not watching the breaking of toothpicks".

He said Iraq was allowing weapons inspectors to go about their business.

Whilst there was some "friction", he confirmed that Saddam Hussein was permitting the inspection teams to examine key sites.

But he warned that the country should be "able to give more information" about its proscribed weapons.

The statement, delivered amid tense scenes in New York, gives both sides fresh ammunition as they slug it out ahead of a vote on the second resolution.

On Friday the French government announced that it will send a top-level diplomatic mission to the key African UN nations.

French foreign minister Dominique de Villepin will head to Angola in a bid to secure support for further weapons inspections.

Tony Blair and George Bush have signalled, however, that Iraq must comply now or face the consequences.

Speaking last night, the US president signalled that war could go ahead in a matter of days.

Blix's mixed assessment of Iraq's co-operation leaves it up to the Security Council to decide Iraq's fate.

The weapons inspector returned to the United Nations on Friday to deliver his latest update on Iraqi compliance with his weapons inspections.

Britain and the US will now seek to win over the key "swing nations" who may now decide Saddam's fate.

Jack Straw, who attended this afternoon's session, is expected to press his international colleagues to support a second resolution backing force against Baghdad.The foreign secretary has signalled that the UK will offer Saddam a final opportunity to disarm - although he stressed that this means days not weeks.

British and American officials are engaged in a frantic round of diplomacy over the content of a revised resolution.

The new draft will give Saddam until March 17 to prove he has no weapons of mass destruction.

But the prime minister's critics have warned that his premiership will be called into question if he commits troops to a war without the backing of the UN.

Speaking on MTV , Blair signalled that Saddam may be given one last chance.

But France, Germany, Russia and China appear to be standing firm in their opposition to a second resolution which sanctions force against Iraq.

Whilst the US believes it can call their bluff, the prime minister says he will countenance giving Saddam more time.But he warned that inaction is not an option. "We can't keep people down there forever. We can't wait forever," Blair told the MTV audience.

British sources say securing the support of Guinea, Cameroon, Angola, Mexico, Chile and Pakistan could result in Russia and France ditching plans to use their veto. But a Washington official said the US would not back any moves to water down the resolution.

"We may add or subtract to the resolution but we will not do anything that detracts from the substance of the resolution," said the spokesman last night.