The European Union said Tuesday that there is a "window of opportunity" for peace in the Iraq crisis as UN inspectors continue their work, but declined to set a time frame, the EU's Greek presidency said.

"It won't be helpful for us to make an arbitrary judgement on a deadline," said Greek Foreign Minister George Papandreou, after EU foreign ministers discussed chief arms inspector Hans Blix's report to the UN Security Council.

But he said: "We have a window of opportunity. Let's use it." Papandreou, whose country took over the rotating six-month EU presidency on January 1, said the ministers held "informal" talks on Blix's report, exchanging "our first impressions and possible steps that Europe could take, the initiatives that Europe could possibly take."
The EU wants to "help the situation move forward and have the full implementation of (UN Security Council Resolution) 1441, and of course a peaceful solution," he added.

EU members are clearly deeply divided on the threat of war against Iraq. Papering over their differences, the EU ministers on Monday issued a statement welcoming the inspectors' "intention to continue and intensify their operations".
"There is obviously a time dimension in our statement yesterday.

We talk about completing the mission. We talk about the welcoming of the intention" of inspectors to continue their work.

"Now what that time dimension is, well that is something that necessarily those responsible in dealing with this ... will have to decide," he said, referring to the UN Security Council.

He added that Security Council Resolution 1441 "does not give a specific deadline."
Papandreou reiterated that the 15-member Union's members all want to avoid war.

"I'm also convinced that every (EU) member state is committed to avoiding armed conflict, and achieving peace through diplomatic means," he told reporters.

"All member states are committed to respecting the role of the UN Security Council in maintaining international peace and security," he said - Sapa-AFP.