Iraq's parliament on Tuesday unanimously rejected a U.N. call for Baghdad to disarm, but U.S. President George W. Bush dismissed the action of a "rubber stamp" assembly and said he wanted to hear what President Saddam Hussein had to say. Political analysts said the mixed signals were designed to give a flavour of democratic legitimacy to Iraq's autocracy and allow the assembly to vent popular anger against America.

The parliamentary session was intended to address an international audience and put on the record for Arabs Iraq's defiance of the United States and misgivings over the U.N. resolution.

"A ZERO-TOLERANCE POLICY"

Bush said Iraq's only choice is whether to comply.

"There's a zero-tolerance policy now," Bush said. "If Saddam Hussein does not comply to the detail of the resolution, we will lead a coalition to disarm him."

Bush has threatened to unleash U.S. forces if needed to force Iraq to dismantle its weapons of mass destruction, and U.S. officials say the president has approved a war plan involving about 200,000 troops.

Many analysts expect Saddam to accept the terms of the U.N. text, although the seven-day deadline does not have a precise time frame.

UN Secretary General Kofi Annan dismissed the parliament's action, telling a news conference, "I don't think the Iraqi parliament was talking to me. I think it was addressed to the people of Iraq."

Annan said he was awaiting a formal response from Iraq's government, adding that "I think everybody will be satisfied if we got a letter by the end of the day on the 15th."

U.N. officials have said an advance team of arms inspectors and technicians would leave for Cyprus late on Friday if Iraq accepts the resolution. The team, armed with a list of 100 priority sites, would aim to arrive in Baghdad on November 18.

PHOTO CAPTION

U.S. President George W. Bush is shown during a Veterans Day ceremony in Washington on November 11. REUTERS/Win McNamee