DATE=6/7/2000
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=U-N / IRAQ WEAPONS INSPECTION (L ONLY)
NUMBER=2-263271
BYLINE=BRECK ARDERY
DATELINE=UNITED NATIONS
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: The head of the U-N Weapons Inspection team
for Iraq said today (Wednesday) his office will be
ready to go to work by late August, but there is still
no indication that Iraq will allow such inspections.
VOA Correspondent Breck Ardery reports from the United
Nations.
TEXT: After a private meeting with the U-N Security
Council, Hans Blix met briefly with reporters, saying
the staffing of his office of weapons inspectors is
proceeding on schedule.
/// BLIX ACT ///
The Council asked me when, in the best case,
could we be operational? My answer was that now
that we are going ahead with the recruitment and
the training course of four weeks duration in
the summer, I would think we can start to
undertake some inspections to see what has been
happening in the year and a half that has passed
would be toward the end of August.
/// END ACT ///
There have been no international weapons inspections
in Iraq since December of 1998. Late last year the
United Nations authorized a new inspection program,
named UNMOVIC, under Security Council resolution 1284.
However, the Iraqi government has said it will not
allow inspections. Even so, Mr. Blix is hopeful that
inspections will eventually be allowed.
/// 2nd BLIX ACT ///
Baghdad's public position is that they reject
resolution 1284 so how could they have any
discussions with UNMOVIC at the present time? At
the same time, I am sure that the Baghdad
government is looking at many different
questions surrounding 1284 and how we are
building up UNMOVIC and eventually I think they
will give a more definitive reply.
/// END ACT ///
Mr. Blix says he personally believes it would be to
the Iraqi government's advantage to cooperate with U-N
weapons inspectors. The Security Council has
indicated that cooperation with weapons inspectors
could lead to the lifting of international sanctions
against Iraq. After the Council's private meeting, it
issued a public statement that again called on Iraq to
cooperate with the inspections. (Signed)
NEB/UN/BA/LSF/ENE/KL
07-Jun-2000 16:13 PM EDT (07-Jun-2000 2013 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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