"At some point, UN inspections will be an issue that needs to be addressed, but at this point, the US and coalition forces are still engaged in actions," spokeswoman Claire Buchan told reporters.

Hans Blix, the chief UN arms inspector, has called for experts to go back to Iraq to hunt for banned weapons programs, and he is expected to address the UN Security Council April 22 to appeal for their return.

"The United States and coalition forces continue to have military operations underway. Finding the weapons of mass destruction is one of their goals, and they are continuing to work towards that end," said Buchan.

US-led forces in Iraq have yet to find any chemical or biological weapons, the alleged presence of which was a driving justification for the war. Saddam Hussein's regime had always denied possessing such banned weapons.

The experts from the UN Monitoring, Verification and Inspection Commission left oil-rich Iraq on March 18, two days before US and British troops invaded the country.

SPACE.WIRE