Germany has repeated its opposition to a rush to military action against Iraq, ahead of the presentation of a report by chief weapons inspector Hans Blix to the United Nations.

SCHROEDER BUNDESTAG SPEECH

Germany is making every effort to find a peaceful solution to the Iraq crisis UN Resolution 1441 has no automatic clause for declaring a war When a partner is in need of help we will be there Give peace a chance

Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder said the foreign ministers of France, Russia and Germany would present a common position when the Security Council meets to hear Mr Blix on Friday.

Speaking after a meeting with Swedish Prime Minister Goeran Persson, he said he hoped there would be a "sufficient majority" in support of the view.

Meanwhile Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer, who is chairing the Security Council meeting, said he expected the report to recommend that the inspectors continue their work.

The comments came as Austria, a neutral country which broadly supports the French and German position, withdrew permission for US troops and equipment to transit across its territory.

Austrian Defence Minister Herbert Scheibner said the ban would remain in force unless there is a second Security Council resolution on Iraq.

It means that US troops based in Germany will have to be taken to Italy for transfer to the Gulf region.

French support

On Thursday Mr Schroeder told the German parliament that the inspections had to continue, to determine exactly what the Iraqis possessed.

The French have also reiterated their support for the idea - saying Iraq was showing a change for the better in its attitude to the inspectors.

The statements came as Nato ambassadors abandoned efforts to reach consensus on how best to improve the defence of Turkey in the event of US-led military action against Iraq.

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Where key nations stand on Iraq

France, Germany and Belgium, which have vetoed plans to move equipment to Turkey, fear moves to defend the Nato ally will imply a war is inevitable, and undermine peace efforts.

Mr Schroeder said he was committed to finding a peaceful solution to the conflict, along with France and another key member of the UN Security Council, Russia.

France speaks on behalf of peace Jean-Pierre Raffarin French Prime Minister

He said UN Resolution 1441 calling on Baghdad to disarm "contains nothing automatic as far as military force is concerned".

The chancellor said a majority on the UN Security Council shared Germany's view that all efforts for peace were necessary. He has ruled out voting in favour of war on Iraq in the Security Council.

He reiterated his popular election pledge that Germany would not take part in a military strike on Iraq, saying it was crucial to examine whether any such action would strengthen or weaken the international alliance against terrorism.

Mr Schroeder said differences over Iraq had not altered the "substance" of Germany's friendship with the US - responding to critics in Germany that his stance over Iraq was putting the two countries' relationship under threat.