Military

DATE=03/25/02

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

TITLE=U-N/ IRAQ/ INSPECTORS (L-O)

NUMBER=2-287973

BYLINE=BARBARA SCHOETZAU

DATELINE=NEW YORK

CONTENT=

VOICED AT:

INTRO: The United Nations has confirmed that Secretary-General Kofi Annan will meet for the second time this year with an Iraqi delegation to discuss returning U-N weapons inspectors to Iraq. From New York, Barbara Schoetzau reports.

TEXT: The Iraqi delegation, led by Foreign Minister Naji Sabri, is scheduled to meet with Mr. Annan April 18th and 19th. The initial round of talks took place earlier this month.

Mr. Annan's spokesperson, Fred Eckhard, says the Secretary-General hopes Iraq is ready to comply with Security Council demands that U-N weapons inspectors be allowed to complete their task of searching for weapons of mass destruction.

/// ECKHARD ACT ///

The issue is between the Security Council, which has demanded certain things of Iraq, and Iraq, which has refused to comply. Iraq has now signaled to the Secretary-General -- "let's talk about compliance." The Secretary General is not empowered by the Council to negotiate anything less than full compliance. So what he hopes for is Iraq's signaling to him -- or to the Council through him -- that they are ready to comply fully.

/// END ACT ///

The weapons inspectors have been barred from returning since December 1998 when they left on the eve of a British and United States air strike against Iraq. The air strike was undertaken because Britain and the United States said Baghdad was not cooperating with the weapons inspectors. (Signed)

NEB/NYC/BJS/SAB