Trans-Atlantic ties played a part in war, Blix believes

He was speaking after a leaked memo revealed concerns by Britain's attorney general in March 2003 about going to war without a second UN resolution.

Ten days later, his final advice showed no such concern about legality.

"I never doubted the good faith of the government, but I think it had a lot to do with the loyalty to the US," Mr Blix told the BBC's World Tonight.

The UK government also wished "to keep a bridge between Europe and the US", Mr Blix believes.

In his advice to the British government on 7 March - which has now been been published - the Attorney-General Lord Goldsmith said "the safest legal course" would be to secure a second UN resolution authorising the use of force in Iraq.

Lord Goldsmith said there needed to be "strong factual grounds" for concluding that Iraq had breached the original UN resolution - 1441 - if the UK and US went to war without seeking a further resolution.

He also said the views of Mr Blix's team - and those of the International Atomic Energy Agency - would be "highly significant".

'Doubtful evidence'

This document, with its caveats, was never shown to a full Cabinet meeting. Instead, his more unequivocal advice was made public on 17 March.

Mr Blix told the BBC's World Tonight on Radio 4 that there was a strong body of opinion within the UN in March 2003 that it was up to the Security Council to take further action.

"If we had come to the conclusion that there were strong circumstances to suggest that they had violated [1441], then I think the council would have taken such a decision," he said.

"However, what we reported to the council were minor breaches, a certain impromptness in the co-operation [of Iraq] in December and January, but more of a frantic co-operation in February."

He said his team of inspectors also "cast a lot of doubt about some of the evidence presented by the US and UK".