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31 December 2002

U.S. Gives U.N. Inspectors Evidence of Iraqi Weapons Programs

(Reeker says U.S. is sharing intelligence with UNMOVIC) (380)
The United States is providing intelligence concerning Iraq's weapons
of mass destruction (WMD) programs to United Nations weapons
inspectors, said State Department Deputy Spokesman Philip Reeker.
Speaking at the December 30 State Department briefing, Reeker said
that after the United States found Iraq's declaration concerning its
WMD programs to be "insufficient," it began providing additional
intelligence to the inspectors.
"I think UNMOVIC, Dr. Blix's organization, has put into place ways to
protect intelligence sources and methods, and that's enabled us to
obviously work with them and other countries as well in sharing that
intelligence," said Reeker.
Reeker added that the United States and other countries have provided
information to the public concerning Iraq's development or possession
of WMD, and "we're always considering when we're in a position to
provide more information."
Following is an excerpt from the December 30 State Department
briefing:
(begin excerpt)
QUESTION: You have a softer stance with North Korea and we think you
have a tough one with Iraq. Then the United States announced several
times that it had evidence that Iraq has weapons of mass destructions,
and the inspectors' chief asked several times the US to reveal this
evidence. Why do not the administration reveal this?
MR. REEKER: We are giving intelligence to the inspection team. The
Secretary talked about that yesterday. In fact, we talked some time
ago following the Iraqi declaration that we found certainly
insufficient, that we would begin providing additional intelligence to
the inspectors and that is taking place. That is happening, and the
Secretary said that yesterday. I'm not going to go into details about
that intelligence. I think UNMOVIC, Dr. Blix's organization, has put
into place ways to protect intelligence sources and methods and that's
enabled us to obviously work with them and other countries, as well,
in sharing that intelligence.
We have also provided a significant amount of information publicly
over a long period of time, as have the British and others, and we are
always considering when we're in a position to provide more
information. But we are providing intelligence to the inspectors and
supporting them, as we promised to do, in every way we can.
(end excerpt)
(Distributed by the Office of International Information Programs, U.S.
Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)