Tracking Inspections in Iraq

RFE/L

1 MARCH 2003

      The UN Monitoring, Verification and Inspection Commission (UNMOVIC) noted in its daily briefing that a meeting is scheduled to take place on 2 March between UNMOVIC and Iraqi officials to discuss Iraqi proposals for the quantitative verification of VX and anthrax, which Iraq claims to have destroyed at "specific locations."
      UNMOVIC further noted that as of 1 March there were 120 inspectors in Iraq.
      In addition, UNMOVIC's 12th quarterly report (1 December 2002 -- 28 February 2003) was submitted to the UN Security Council on 28 February, UNMOVIC stated. "Since the resumption of inspections on 27 November 2002, UNMOVIC has conducted more than 550 inspections covering approximately 350 sites, including 44 new sites. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has conducted roughly 200 inspections at about 150 locations," UNMOVIC reported.
      A team of IAEA inspectors visited the Al-Ma'moun Factory belonging to the Al-Rashid State Company, which is an affiliate of the Military Industrialization Organization (MIO). The inspectors inspected "one of the sites affiliated with the factory" and asked about its activities and methods of production, the Foreign Ministry reported. UNMOVIC acknowledged but did not offer details on this inspection.
      A second IAEA team of inspectors went to the Al-Qa'qa State Company (MIO-affiliated), where they inspected warehouses and oil pumps, the Foreign Ministry stated. UNMOVIC stated that the company manufactures explosives. The inspectors also checked equipment at the Sa'd Factory before proceeding to the Al-Nu'man Factory's firing range.
      A third IAEA team conducted a car-borne radiation survey around the Al-Rashidiyah Camp, which belongs to the Iraqi Ministry of Defense, according to the Foreign Ministry. UNMOVIC did not comment on where the survey was performed.
      A fourth IAEA inspection team visited the Al-Salam State Company (MIO-affiliated), where they toured the site and asked company officials about the company's activities, the products it produces, product users, and imports since January 2002, the Foreign Ministry stated. The factory produces electronic components for communications and control systems, according to UNMOVIC.
      An UNMOVIC chemical-inspection team visited the Al-Tariq State Company pesticide factory to verify Iraqi declarations on the contents of the factory's warehouses, the Foreign Ministry noted. UNMOVIC confirmed the inspection at Al-Falluja III.
      A second team of chemical inspectors returned to the Al-Muthanna site to obtain samples from the destroyed mustard gas, as well as "burned fragments of the 155-millimeter shells, whose filling has been removed." UNMOVIC stated that all 155-millimeter artillery shells containing mustard gas were prepared for destruction.
      A biological inspection team went to the Al-Aziziyah Air Field and Firing Range belonging to the Ministry of Defense. Inspectors photographed and took samples from extracted shells and counted the newly extracted munitions, the Foreign Ministry reported. UNMOVIC confirmed the inspection and stated that a joint team of biological and chemical inspectors will "sample the content of intact bombs" on 2 March.
      A second biological team visited the Salah Al-Din Emergency Regiment in Tikrit, where they inquired about the activities of the workshop. The inspectors then toured other workshops, the Foreign Ministry stated. The team also went to the Salah Al-Din branch of the State Company for Construction Material Trade (Ministry of Trade) to inspect warehouses, according to the Foreign Ministry.
      UNMOVIC stated that an inspection took place at the State Company for Ceramic Industry in Tikrit. It did not elaborate on the inspection.
      A joint UNMOVIC inspection team went to the Technical Consultancy Company. The inspectors asked the manager about the company's activities, affiliations, and imported equipment before touring the facility, the Foreign Ministry reported.
      The inspection team also visited the Press Authority to inspect computers used by the press. The computers also have Internet access, the Foreign Ministry noted.
      UNMOVIC stated that the joint inspection team inspected two sites "related to the procurement of communications equipment and the collection and analyses of information from different sources." It did not elaborate.
      A missile-inspection team led by Dimitri Perricos met with members of the National Monitoring Directorate (NMD) to discuss technical details regarding the destruction of the Al-Sumud 2 missiles, the Iraqi Foreign Ministry stated, adding, "It was also agreed that another UNMOVIC team would today supervise the extraction of the casting chamber of the solid fuel at Al-Rashid State Company to prepare them for destruction" on 2 March. The meeting also formulated a work plan for the upcoming destruction of Al-Sumud 2 missiles, the ministry stated. UNMOVIC confirmed that the technical talks led to an agreement on the timetable and method of destruction for the missiles. It added that the destruction process of the missiles and related components began on 1 March, with the destruction of four Al-Sumud 2 missiles and one casting chamber.
      A missile inspection team went to the Air Force College in Tikrit, where they toured the facilities and questioned officials about the college's relationship "with the project for the guided plane," the Foreign Ministry reported. UNMOVIC identified the inspection site as the Al-Sahra Air Field, located north of Tikrit. It did not offer details on the inspection, except to say that it was a joint biological/missile inspection.
      A UNMOVIC mirage plane conducted reconnaissance for three hours, according to the Foreign Ministry.
      The Foreign Ministry stated that UNMOVIC had requested interviews with four Iraqi scientists. The ministry contacted three of the scientists, as the fourth is living outside the country. In its 1 March briefing, the Iraqi Foreign Ministry stated that two scientists were interviewed, but the third was not, because UNMOVIC would not allow the interview to be taped. Later, on 2 March, the Foreign Ministry noted that only one scientist was interviewed. The second was refused due to his request to tape the interview, and the third was refused because he requested that a friend be present during the interview. UNMOVIC stated in its 1 March briefing that two interviews were conducted, one with an engineer and one with a biological scientist.

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Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)

Tracking Inspections in Iraq