Annan was in Morocco when the crisis entered its most dangerous stage with the decision to pull out all UN weapons inspectors -- widely seen as the prelude to American-led air strikes. He then issued what was billed as a ``personal appeal'' to President Saddam to return to full compliance with international demands or accept the inevitability of military action.

``That was the last shot in the locker,'' one key diplomat said at the time. ``Now there isn't that much left.'' So on the face of it, the softly spoken Ghanaian had been relegated tothe sidelines when he flew back to New York on Thursday. The US and Britain had already made clear they did want him to go back to Baghdad, where his 11th-hour deal averted military action in February.

But in the dramatic 24 hours between Friday and Saturday afternoons, Annan returned to centre stage. By publicly welcoming Iraq's climbdown, he reasserted the role of the UN in this crisis -and highlighted the permanent tension between his role as a sort of secular pope and the servant of the security council, the UN's `top table'.

His remarks were quickly echoed by France, Russia, China and Arab states who had feared a Western strike on Iraq could destabilise both the country and the region. The US and Britain were furious. Annan later remained silent as the security council discussed Iraq's response and the two subsequent clarifications that were added to it. But he made no secret of his personal hope for a diplomatic solution. Ironically, Annan is the most pro-American secretary-general ever and wasWashington's clear favourite when he succeeded the haughty Boutros Boutros Ghali last year. A UN official for 30 years, he seemed a gifted bureaucrat, administrator, and diplomat, though not a leader. His internal reforms have gone a long way to appeasing the US administration, under pressure from a hostile Congress.

The Observer News Service