In a crucial order that could make the difference between war and peace, Chief United Nations Weapons Inspector Hans Blix has given Iraq time till March one to begin destroying dozens of its Al Samoud 2 missiles, which exceeds allowed range, their engines, warheads and guidance system under the world body's supervision.

Diplomats say Blix was under intense pressure from the United States and Britain to move fast, and Iraq's reaction to this major development could make the difference between war and peace.

In a four-page letter handed over to the Iraqi Ambassador Mohammed Al-Douri on Friday, Blix told Iraq that "appropriate arrangements" should be made so that destruction process could commence by March one.

Blix's order follows the conclusion reached by an international panel of experts, convened by him, that the missiles are capable of exceeding the range of 150 km set by the Security Council.

A copy of the findings of the panel was attached to the letter. The inspectors, he said in the letter, would select a variety of methods for destruction depending on items to be destroyed such as explosive demolition, crushing, melting and other physical and chemical methods.

Blix is also preparing a list of 35 outstanding questions about Iraq's chemical and biological weapons and long-range missile programmes, which he would like Baghdad to answer. He would discuss it on Monday with his advisory board of commissioners before finally submitting to Baghdad.

Diplomats said Iraq's response to the letter would be closely watched, for, a reluctance to demolish the missiles would be taken by Washington and London as Baghdad's failure to disarm voluntarily and support their case for war.

The UN assessment is based on data provided by Iraq, which had explained that in some of the tests, the missiles went beyond allowed range because it lacked guidance system and the absence of any warhead also made them lighter.

Blix was expected to present a written report to the Council on March one, but now diplomats say it may be delayed till March seven by which time destruction of missiles and related materials should have started.

Al-Douri wants the UN experts to go to Iraq and see for themselves that the missile cannot exceed 150 km limit rather than depending on theoretical calculations.

In his last report to the Council, Blix had said in some tests, the missile exceeded the range by 33 km. But experts say such increase would not affect its striking capability.

The 150-km range puts Iraq's neighbours within its range, but an enhanced range would not take it to Israel, they said.

However, the US thinks that Iraq could increase its range. America, diplomats say, had been pressing Blix to go much further and call for the destruction of factories and test stands. But he apparently has concluded that these facilities could be easily monitored.

Russia had earlier sought to play down the issue of increased range, contending that it is small and that Iraq itself had declared them. In his report, Blix had also said Al-Samoud 2's diameter had been increased to 760 mm from the earlier version, and Iraq had imported 380 rocket engines.