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28 January 2000

Text: U.S. Welcomes Approval of Blix to Head Iraq Inspections Team

(Rubin: Blix is excellently suited to fill this important position)
(310)
The United States welcomes the decision by the U.N. Security Council
to approve the nomination of Dr. Hans Blix as Executive Chairman of
the new Iraqi weapons inspection unit, UNMOVIC (UN Monitoring,
Verification and Inspection Commission), State Department Spokesman
James Rubin said January 27.
"We also commend U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan for his
professionalism and objectivity during the selection process which
culminated in the nomination of Dr. Blix," Rubin said.
Following is the text of Rubin's statement:
(begin text)
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
Office of the Spokesman
January 27, 2000
STATEMENT BY JAMES P. RUBIN, SPOKESMAN
DR. HANS BLIX APPOINTED UNMOVIC EXECUTIVE CHAIRMAN
The United States welcomes today's decision by the U.N. Security
Council to approve the nomination of Dr. Hans Blix as Executive
Chairman of UNMOVIC (UN Monitoring, Verification and Inspection
Commission). Dr. Blix, who previously served the international
community with distinction as Director General of the International
Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), is excellently suited to fill this
important position.
We also commend UN Secretary General Kofi Annan for his
professionalism and objectivity during the selection process which
culminated in the nomination of Dr. Blix. Since the beginning of the
selection process, our emphasis has been on qualifications rather than
names. Dr. Blix's career demonstrates the objective criteria we have
emphasized -- including technical disarmament expertise, independence,
professionalism and managerial ability -- and we expect him to be
effective in implementing the Council's resolutions on Iraq.
We look forward to Dr. Blix's arrival in New York to take up the
mandated tasks of his new appointment as soon as possible.
(end text)
(Distributed by the Office of International Information Programs, U.S.
Department of State.)