United Nations: In a finding that could bolster American case for a war on Iraq, an
international team of experts summoned by United Nations weapons inspectors has
concluded that Iraq's al-Samoud 2 missiles exceeded the range of 150 kms imposed by
the world body.
The finding gives new ammunition to the US to buttress its case that the Security
Council finds Baghdad in material breach of its new resolution adopted on November
8.
But Iraq and Russia have contested the findings, arguing that they are not
final.
It is up to chief weapons inspector Hans Blix to recommend the action that needs to
be taken in view of the experts' findings, American UN Ambassador John Negroponte
said.
The inspectors had called a meeting of experts to examine evidence regarding al-
Samoud 2 and al-Fatah that they had in some tests exceeded the limit imposed by the
Security Council.
After two days of deliberations, the experts said questions still remained to be
answered about al-Fatah and asked the inspectors to take up technical issues with
the Iraqis.
Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Yuri Fedotov said experts confirmed that the range
of Samoud was more than 150 km but that was not final.
"So far UNMOVIC has not reached any conclusion," he said after a four-hour meeting
of the UN Monitoring, Verification and Inspection Commission on February
12.
"Inspections should continue," Fedotov said, adding, "there are many details, about
the payload and the fuel, and they need to continue their analysis."
A Russian was invited for the experts' meeting but UN officials say he did not
attend the deliberations.
Negroponte said the experts concluded that Samoud definitely violated the range
limit.
"My understanding is that one of the two missiles that is being analysed definitely
has a capacity that exceeds the range of 150 km. That is something that our own
intelligence sources have been telling us for months. But apparently now it's a
matter of agreement among the experts," he said.
Other diplomats said they have called for destroying the engines for the liquid-
fuelled Samoud which Iraq had imported.
Blix declined to comment, reserving his observation for his report on February 14 to
the Security Council on Iraq's compliance with its resolution.
PTI
