He concluded that it would take "but months" to resolve the key remaining disarmament tasks.

Sir Jeremy Greenstock of Britain, the council's president for December and sponsor of today's resolution, called it "an exceptional achievement" in linking relief to disarmament tasks.

If Iraq carries out its disarmament tasks, the Security Council can ease sanctions, while monitoring the uses of oil export revenues.

Mr. Blix's office has also produced a 167-page draft report of the remaining disarmament tasks for Iraq.

The working document does contain suggestions on how these concerns may be tackled. . . . How much time would it take to resolve the key remaining disarmament tasks?

In December 1999, a separate Security Council resolution laid out the steps Iraq must take not only to allow inspectors to work but also to meet certain crucial disarmament tasks, still to be determined.

France is demanding a less onerous list of initial disarmament tasks, wider sanctions relief and looser controls over Iraqi revenues.

The resolution requires Iraq to comply with a list of essential remaining disarmament tasks to be drawn up by the new inspection commission.

Russia prefers a demonstration of cooperation with inspectors as a new system is installed in Iraq, but not a requirement to meet all disarmament tasks before sanctions could be suspended.

Late yesterday, a new draft proposal began to circulate that called for Iraq to "fulfill the key outstanding disarmament tasks" that weapons inspectors would set for it.