Iraq says UN inspectors
request interviews with three scientists
ĦĦĦĦBAGHDAD, Jan. 24 (Xinhuanet) -- Iraq said on Friday that UN weapons
inspectors had asked for interviews with three Iraqi scientists the following
day and Baghdad had encouraged them to accept.
ĦĦĦĦThe Iraqi Foreign Ministry said in a statement that the UN Monitoring,
Verification and Inspection Commission (UNMOVIC) and International Atomic Energy
Agency (IAEA) had made the requests to the National Monitoring Directorate,
which liaises with the UN inspection teams.
ĦĦĦĦThe Directorate has informed the scientists of the requests for the
interviews to be held on Saturday and "encouraged" them to agree, the statement
said.
ĦĦĦĦThe statement did not say whether the three unidentified scientists had
agreed to the interviews, nor did it specify whether the UN requests were for
private interviews without the presence of Iraqi officials.
ĦĦĦĦOn Friday, only one UN inspection team was in the field in the daily hunt
for prohibited weapons of mass destruction in Iraq and a total of three sites
were inspected.
ĦĦĦĦThe UNMOVIC chemical experts paid their visit to the Qaqaa industrial
complex, 50 km south of Baghdad, to inspect a research center and waste
treatment facility.
ĦĦĦĦThe same team then went to the nearby Mamoun plant belonging to the Al
Rasheed Company, which is affiliated with the Military Industrialization
Committee.
ĦĦĦĦThe team also inspected the Al Basil State Company in Baghdad's Al Chadria
area.
ĦĦĦĦThe UN weapons experts resumed their hunting for prohibited weapons of mass
destruction in Iraq on Nov. 27 after a four-year suspension and have so far
searched more than 400 suspected sites.
ĦĦĦĦThey must give their first report to the UN Security Council about Iraq's
weapons programs by a Jan. 27 deadline. Enditem
US: Iraqi resistance to interviews unacceptable
ĦĦĦĦWASHINGTON, Jan. 24 (Xinhuanet) -- The United States warned Iraqi President
Saddam Hussein on Friday that any failure to let UN weapons inspectors to
interview Iraqi scientists is "unacceptable."
ĦĦĦĦUS President George W. Bush "believes that Iraq's refusal to allow Iraqi
scientists to submit to private interviews with UN inspectors is unacceptable,"
White House spokesman Ari Fleischer told reporters.
ĦĦĦĦ"Iraq has an obligation to comply. This is not a matter for negotiation.
This is not a matter for debate. Saddam Hussein has no choice," Fleischer noted.
ĦĦĦĦ"His refusal is further evidence that Iraq has something to hide. To
protect the peace, Iraq must allow and encourage its scientists to participate
in private interviews and must do so without delay and without debate," he said.
ĦĦĦĦIraqi National Monitoring Directorate chief Gen. Hossam Mohammed Amin said
on Thursday that Iraqi scientists have refused to be questioned in private by UN
arms inspectors although Baghdadhas encouraged them to accept such interviews.
ĦĦĦĦ"We did our best to push the scientists but they refused such interviews
without the presence of National Monitoring Directorate representatives," Amin
told reporters at a press conference in Baghdad. Enditem
Special
report: US prepares war on Iraq
ĦĦ
ĦĦ