Today Mr. Hussein, who has refused to admit inspectors since 1998, rejected the call.

The agency also cannot say if Iraq is eliminating any nuclear weapons program because Baghdad has not admitted inspectors since December 1999.

True, North Korea has not yet agreed to admit inspectors to two suspected but undeclared nuclear sites.

On dozens of occasions, Iraqis have refused to admit inspectors to facilities.

Iraq has never admitted inspectors at all, neither from official organizations, which can be pressured to discretion, nor from non-governmental groups.

But American officials said that there was no early indication that North Korea would admit inspectors or give up its program.

In 993 attempts at inspections by the new team of inspectors working in Queens, residents refused to admit inspectors 247 times, according to the Buildings Department.

North Korean Atomic Accord North Korea signed a pact calling for international inspection of its nuclear plants, but left doubts that it would admit inspectors soon.

The Soviet Union has offered to admit American inspectors to its military installations to verify the dismantling of missiles.

Today was the second time in a month that North Korea indicated that, in principle, it was willing to admit international inspectors.