The European Union  on Monday urged Iraq to cooperate more fully with United Nations  arms inspectors. The 15 EU foreign ministers issued a short statement urging "Iraqi authorities to engage in full and active cooperation" with the arms inspections that began two months ago. At the same time, the Europeans said they want the arms inspectors to be given more time if needed. The EU "stands ready to engage all necessary efforts to answer the needs of" the arms inspectors to enable them to complete their work, the EU statement said.

The statement was issued several hours before U.N. chief arms inspector Hans Blix was to report in New York on Iraq's disarmament record.

U.N. Security Council members France, Britain, Spain and Germany agreed that U.N. arms inspectors be given more time if ncessary to ensure Baghdad's compliance with disarmament demands. That view was later endorsed by the other 11 EU nations.

Although the Europeans agreed to give the arms inspectors more time, deep differences remained on how to resolve the Iraq crisis. It prevents the EU from crafting a single view on the issue.

Siding with Washington, Britain maintains a hardline stance - generally backed by Italy, Spain, Portugal, Denmark and the Netherlands - that points to military action sooner rather than later.

France and Germany - leading a camp that also includes Austria, Belgium, Sweden and Luxembourg - insist war can only come after a fresh UN. Security Council resolution.

Britain fears a second such resolution may be vetoed and thus let Iraqi President Saddam Hussein  off the hook.

France and Britain are permanent members of the U.N. Security Council and Spain and Germany are currently temporary members.

The 15 EU ministers said their aim remained "the effective and complete disarmament of Iraq's weapons of mass destruction."

It said U.N. Security Council resolution 1441 of last November "gives an unambiguous message that the Iraqi government has a final opportunity to resolve the crisis peacefully."

The foreign ministers of France, Britain, Germany and Spain, meeting ahead of a regular monthly meeting of all EU foreign ministers, agreed that arms inspectors get more time if needed. This view was later shared by the other EU members.

British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw told reporters Iraq has massive stocks of chemicals for arms purposes and has not been helpful to U.N. inspectors over the past two months.

"Time is running out for Saddam Hussein. He has had a lot of time - 12 years - to comply fully with the obligations of the Security Council. We'll make decisions about exactly how much time in the light of the report at the United Nations later today," said Straw, echoing U.S. sentiments on the Iraqi crisis.

Sounding more cautious, however, German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer said, "We must try everything to implement (the U.N. resolution) without military force."

According to that resolution inspectors do not need to prove Iraq is rearming. Any false statements or omissions in Iraq's arms declaration, coupled with a failure to comply with and cooperate fully with arms inspections would place Baghdad in "material breach" of its obligations - a finding that could open the door for war.

Blix was to report to the U.N. Security Council later Monday on whether Iraq still pursues chemical, biological or nuclear arms programs.

The differences over Iraq within the EU are profound enough that it has so far proved impossible for Greece, which now holds the EU presidency, to craft a common European position on the crisis. Greek Foreign Minister George Papandreou, who attended the talks, had hope to take a single EU view on Iraq on a mission to moderate Arab nations.

Britain's lukewarm enthusiasm for a second U.N. resolution has turned Prime Minister Tony Blair  into President Bush's staunchest ally. Like the United States, Britain has begun sending troops to the Gulf region.

The differences within the EU over Iraq have soured trans-Atlantic relations in recent weeks.

PHOTO CAPTION

Germany's Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer, left, chats with Britain's Foreign Secretary Jack Straw moments before the start of the EU Foreign Ministers Council in Brussels, Monday Jan. 27, 2003. The Brussels meeting comes shortly before UN chief weapons inspector Hans Blix reports to the UN in New York on what his team has, or has not, discovered in Iraq. (AP Photo/Yves Logghe)