United Nations: American Secretary of State Colin Powell told the United Nations
Security Council on February 5 that Iraq continues to follow a policy of denial and
deception and asserted that it is not cooperating with United Nations weapons
inspectors and is hiding prohibited weapons.
Right in the beginning of the presentation, Powell played two tapes of conservation
between military commanders which, he said, clearly indicate that they were trying to
hide prohibited weapons and to ensure that weapons inspectors do not find anything.
Powell also presented the Council with spy satellite photos that he said proved Iraq
was maintaining banned weapons programmes in defiance of UN disarmament
demands.
He alleged that Iraqi officials hid correspondence on military industrialisation,
ordered the removal of banned weapons from key sites and hid prohibited items in
their homes.
The satellite picture showed what Powell said was an ammunition facility, which
housed chemical weapons.
He said the facility was cleaned up before the inspections and showed another
picture, which showed that Iraq was removing the prohibited materials.
An image of missile facility, he said, showed that Iraq has moved missiles days
before the inspections. In another image, he showed trucks and cranes brought to
remove the missile.
PTI
