Iraq seeks quick Blix meeting

Blair-Bush-Aznar summit planned for Azores

Protesters -- some against a possible war with Iraq and some supporting Bush administration policy -- gathered in Washington and other cities on Saturday. Story Tools VIDEO CNN's Bruce Morton has highlights from the military relationship between the United States and France going back to Lafayette. PLAY VIDEO CNN's Jill Dougherty talks to Russians who oppose war with Iraq but don't feel street protests would make much difference. PLAY VIDEO The U.S. is considering a preemptive strike against Iraqi forces and military planners are working on ways to stop Saddam Hussein from taking desperate action after a U.S. ultimatum. CNN's Jamie McIntyre reports. PLAY VIDEO BRITISH AND CHILEAN BENCHMARKS Britain has said that Saddam Hussein must come clean on Iraqi television about his weapons of mass destruction and say he will give them up. British officials have said this point may not be mandatory. Chile's plan does not call for such a move. Britain says Iraq must identify stocks of anthrax and other chemical and biological weapons. Chile's proposal refers specifically to such materials known to have existed before 1998. Both Britain and Chile say Iraq must allow 30 Iraqi scientists to be interviewed outside Iraq (and their families allowed to travel with them). Britain has specified Cyprus as a locale. Both Britain and Chile say Iraq must account for unmanned drone aircraft that the United States and Britain say could be used for spraying poisons. Britain calls for Iraq to commit to destroying mobile biological warfare production units. Both Britain and Chile say Iraq must complete destruction of all banned missiles. RELATED Gallery: Voices of the world  Gallery: Voices of America  • TIME.com: Tony Karon: "Why Bush Struggles To Win U.N. Backing"  • Interactive: Chemical and biological weapons Iraq says it has manufactured in the past  • The Azores: An isolated crossroads  • Interactive: Security Council positions  SPECIAL REPORT •  War Tracker •  On the Scene Map •  Commanders: U.S. | Iraq •  Weapons: 3D Models •  Coalition casualties | POW/MIA •  Special Report

BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- Iraq sent a letter on Saturday to the United Nation's top weapons inspectors to visit Baghdad "as soon as possible" to discuss disarmament issues.

The invitation from Iraq's top scientific advisor Gen. Amer Al-Saadi to inspectors Hans Blix and Mohamed ElBaradei is another sign of increased cooperation as the threat of war between the United States and Iraq draws near.

In the letter AL-Saadi requested a meeting to "accelerate cooperation" with inspections and "resolve pending issues" related to Iraq's U.N.-mandated disarmament, a spokesperson with Iraq's Foreign Ministry said.

Blix, head of the U.N. Monitoring, Verification and Inspection Commission, has received a copy of the letter, U.N. sources said.

A spokeswoman for ElBaradei, director-general of the International Atomic Energy Agency, said he has received the letter. She did not say whether ElBaradei will accept the invitation but Blix would consult with the U.N. Security Council on Monday about the invitation. The letter states that Al-Saadi hopes for a quick response.

France calls U.N. meeting

The move comes as Germany, France and Russia called for a meeting of the U.N. Security Council Tuesday, according to a spokesman for the French Foreign Ministry.

The official had no further information.

Germany, France and Russia are the key Security Council members who oppose the use of force to disarm Iraq. France, which already has threatened to veto any U.N. resolution authorizing force, and Russia are both permanent members of the council. Permanent council members have veto power.

Antiwar protestors gathered on Saturday at the Washington Monument for a convergence on the White House as supporters of President Bush's Iraq policy planned a counter demonstration nearby. (Full story)

Thousands of people gathered in Atlanta, Georgia, waiving American flags and shouting patriotic slogans and similar rallies are planned in other cities, including San Francisco, California, and Seattle, Washington.

Elsewhere in the world, 10,000 people gathered in Tokyo on Saturday to protest U.S. plans and Japan's support for military action, organizers said. (Interactive: Voices of the world)

More than 4,000 people marched in southern New Zealand's main cities of Christchurch and Dunedin chanting "Give peace a chance." Thousands of others held rallies in Yemen, Cyprus, Australia, and Russia (Full story)

Iraqis flooded the streets of Baghdad and other cities to protest a war they feel certain is coming their way -- and to show their support for Saddam Hussein's regime.

Emergency summit

Bush, British Prime Minister Tony Blair and Spanish Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar will meet Sunday in the Azores -- Portuguese islands in the North Atlantic Ocean, about 800 miles off the coast of Portugal -- to discuss their next moves. (More on the Azores)

Joining them will be Portuguese Prime Minister Jose Manuel Durao Barroso, who has supported the Anglo-American approach to Iraqi disarmament.

Bush spoke to Blair on the telephone at Camp David Saturday to discuss the "continuing diplomatic efforts in capitals around the world and at the U.N., and discussed preparations for tomorrow's meeting in the Azores," according to White House spokeswoman Jeannie Mamo.

Bush also called Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, to thank him for his country's strong support.

U.S. officials have said the three nations, which are sponsoring the latest draft U.N. resolution on disarming Iraq that is at the center of the crisis, might decide not to bring the resolution to a vote if it is clear it cannot win approval.

So far, only one other country on the Security Council, Bulgaria, has publicly supported Britain, Spain and the United States on the new resolution. Three permanent members with veto power -- France, Russia and China -- have expressed opposition, as have two other members, Germany and Syria.

A proposal from Chile that would give Iraq three weeks to meet a series of conditions was quickly dismissed Friday by the United States.

Earlier this week, the Belgian Foreign Ministry announced that Britain's Queen Elizabeth had postponed an official visit to Belgium planned for next week, because of the international situation.

CNN correspondents Andrea Koppel, Richard Roth, John King, Barbara Starr, Jamie McIntyre, Robin Oakley and Al Goodman contributed to this report. For latest developments, see CNN.com's Iraq Tracker.

Story Tools		Subscribe to Time for $1.99

Iran poll to go to run-off • U.N.: Truck bomb killed Hariri • EU 'crisis' after summit failure • U.S. House votes to keep U.N. dues

CNN/Money: Security alert issued for 40 million credit cards • Bin Laden deputy sends message • U.S. House votes to keep U.N. dues • Iran poll to go to run-off