In an article in New York Times, she conceded existence of strong differences on Iraq in the Security Council but expressed the United States' firm backing for Richard Butler and his team.

``Our purpose now is to get the Security Council to face up to its responsibilities to the UN Special Commission and the International Atomic Energy Agency,'' she said stressing the latest confrontation is between the Commission and the Council.

But at the same time she emphasised, ``We have ruled nothing out, including use of force.''

``If the Council fails to persuade Saddam Hussein to resume cooperation, then we will have free hand to use other means to support UNSCOM's mandate,'' she said.

This was closest she went in threatening to use force but the language was much milderthan Washington had used in earlier confrontations which explicitly threatened to use air strike to make Iraq fall in line.

The UNSCOM, headed by Butler, is charged with eliminating Iraqi weapons of mass destruction.

Referring to the latest standoff between Iraq and weapons inspectors, Albright said this is a confrontation between Iraq and the UN. It is up to the Security Council and Kofi Annan to make sure that Saddam reverses course and cooperates with UNSCOM with eliminating Iraqi weapons of mass destruction.