United Nations: Iraq has responded angrily to United Nations chief weapons inspector
Hans Blix's tough assessment of its disarmament, saying it was short in its
description of Iraqi co-operation and long in misrepresentations of Baghdad's record
of compliance, even as it vowed to continue co-operation with inspectors of the
world body.
In a 15-page letter, Iraq accused Blix of pronouncing political judgments only two
months after the inspections began, despite Baghdad's "unprecedented co-operation"
and contested his assertion that it has not "genuinely" accepted the Council
resolution.
Blix, it said, had misrepresented its record of compliance as also co-operation in
elimination of its nuclear, chemical, biological and long-range missile programmes.
The assessment was short on description of Iraqi co-operation and long
on "unsubstantiated claims, presumptions and misrepresentations of Iraq's record of
compliance", it asserted.
In his report to the Council, Blix had said Iraq was co-operating on process but not
on substance and had accused it of not declaring all information about its chemical,
biological and long-range missile programmes.
He had told the Council that Iraq had not accounted for all deadly VX nerve gas and
anthrax produced by it and test fired two missiles with a range of more than 150
kms. Under the Council resolution, Iraq cannot possess missiles with a range of more
than 150 kms.
Iraq's letter comes as the United States prepares for military action against
Baghdad and has sent hundreds of thousands of troops to the Gulf.
Russian UN Ambassador Sergey Lavrov once again said inspections are bringing results
and noted that Iraq had, in the letter, indicated it would give "more active" co-
operation.
He was referring to the conclusion of the letter where Iraq expresses its firm
resolve to continue co-operation.
Regarding discovery of empty chemical warheads by the inspector, Iraq said since
then inspectors had searched hundreds of stores but found nothing.
The letter also contested Blix's contention that rockets were found at a relatively
new bunker where they might have been moved in past few years at a time when Baghdad
was not supposed to have them.
The rockets, it said, were found in an old shed constructed in 1980s and rockets
have not been moved for last 12 years. Any investigation would show that its motors
are useless.
The letter also said Iraq had backed up its claim that it destroyed all biological
weapons unilaterally in 1991 with "important and indisputable evidence".
Regarding Blix's contention that Iraqi declaration on the production of VX nerve
agent and anthrax was incomplete, Iraq asked the inspectors to provide any new
evidence they might have rather than playing hid and seek with it.
Blix, however, maintains it was for Iraq to provide the evidence and inspectors
would verify.
The letter also expressed concern over a visit by inspectors to a mosque, which the
inspectors maintain was a sight seeing tour, but Iraq says they had asked questions
about the basement, which went beyond tourists interest.
PTI
