US was set on engaging Saddam in a war, says ex-UK envoy

London, Nov.27 (ANI): Former British ambassador to the United Nations, Sir Jeremy Greenstock, has told an official Iraq War inquiry here that America seemed determined to go to war with Saddam Hussein.

According to a Sky News report, Greenstock was a key figure in Britain's efforts to resolve the Iraq crisis through the "UN route".

He told the inquiry he first became aware that America and Britain were discussing going to war against Iraq in February 2002 despite frantic diplomatic efforts to avoid a conflict.

He said while Britain was reluctant to go to war, preferring quite diplomacy, but America seemed prepared for war.

Giving evidence yesterday to the inquiry, the then UK ambassador to Washington, Sir Christopher Meyer, said British diplomats had been highly successful in their efforts to secure a new Security Council resolution on Iraq.

However, ultimately the strategy had failed because the UN weapons inspectors were not given enough time to complete their work before Britain and the US launched the invasion in March 2003.

Sir Christopher that the real problem was that the US military were already committed to action in early 2003, even before the inspectors had returned to Iraq. (ANI)