Iraq defies weapons inspectors
By Anton La Guardia, Diplomatic Editor and David Blair in Baghdad (Filed: 21/02/2003)
United Nations inspectors said yesterday that Iraq was breaking several of its promises to co-operate in their search for weapons of mass destruction.
The anouncement will greatly strengthening America and Britain as they seek international support for war.
The two countries are to table a new UN resolution next week declaring Iraq to be in "further material breach" of the last resolution. It is expected to demand that Saddam Hussein comply fully with the inspectors, or face war.
Apparently Saddam has been encouraged by anti-war rallies in the West and splits in the UN Security Council. He appears to be risking a highly critical verdict from the inspectors when they report again next week.
A pattern of defiance has emerged over the past fortnight, the inspectors say. No Iraqi scientist or official has agreed to be interviewed without a minder or tape recorder, despite Baghdad's promises that they would.
The issue is regarded as central to the inspectors' work, as scientists could reveal hidden stocks of chemical and biological weapons or prove that they had been destroyed.
The inspectors also accused Baghdad of failing to seek out more documents and banned weapons. It was a series of such promises from Iraq that led inspectors to issue a cautiously optimistic report to the Security Council last week.
In particular, Saddam's officials said they would co-operate on issues of "substance": mainly the demand that they explain what had happened to large stocks of chemical and biological weapons unaccounted for since 1998.
Hiro Ueki, a spokesman for the inspectors, said they had made five requests for private interviews with scientists since Feb 9.
"All the interviewees showed up, but no private interviews took place because of the issue of tape recording," he said.
Every scientist insisted on recording meetings, which the inspectors refused to accept. Only three private interviews have been conducted and those took place shortly before the inspectors' last report.
The International Atomic Energy Agency, charged with dismantling Iraq's nuclear weapons programme, has conducted 10 interviews since December. All have taken place with a tape recorder or an Iraqi witness.
Hans Blix, the chief inspector, was also assured that the regime would establish two powerful commissions to help the inspectors.
One headed by Amer Rashid, a presidential adviser, would provide the UN with documents about illegal weapons programmes. The other would search for any proscribed weapons in arsenals anywhere in Iraq.
Mr Ueki said that, so far, neither group had produced new material.
Another confrontation looms if Mr Blix asks Iraq to destroy its al-Samoud missiles, which the inspectors have ruled to be in breach of the UN's 90-mile limit.
Iraq has allowed a U2 spy plane to fly over its territory. Similar flights by French, German and Russian aircraft will follow. Saddam has also taken the largely symbolic step of issuing a decree outlawing the production of weapons of mass destruction.
Mr Ueki said: "We have seen more signs of co-operation, but not to the extent that we can report to the Security Council that they are providing full co-operation.
"The clock is ticking and time is running out."
The inspectors are focusing on filling the large gaps left when the UN withdrew from Iraq in 1998.
These include the whereabouts of tens of thousands of chemical munitions, including a batch of 6,500 chemical bombs containing 1,000 tons of chemical agent and biological growth media to make large amounts of anthrax.
Encouraged by the promising tone of the inspectors' last report, France has led the way in trying to block military action, saying that disarmament could be achieved through more intrusive inspections.
Yesterday it garnered the support of African leaders attending a Franco-African summit in Paris. Russia, once thought likely to approve military action, has also threatened to veto a resolution authorising war.
But by hardening his position, Saddam risks swaying the waverers on the Security Council back in favour of the US and Britain.
When America and Britain table their resolution next week, they will argue that Saddam has no intention of giving up his weapons. But they have yet to fine-tune the text, particularly how the final deadline for Iraqi compliance should be set.
• MPs will be able to debate the Iraq crisis next Wednesday after an update the day before from Tony Blair, it emerged last night. The Lords are also due to hold a debate on the crisis.
telegraph.co.uk. |
