Tracking Inspections in Iraq

RFE/L

11 MARCH 2003

       The UN Monitoring, Verification and Inspection Commission (UNMOVIC) reported on 11 March that there are currently 180 staff in Iraq, including 71 inspectors. In addition, there are 34 local staff. Twelve inspectors are currently "on-break" in Cyprus.
      UNMOVIC and the Foreign Ministry reported that UNMOVIC sought an interview with an Iraqi chemical researcher on 11 March but the interview was cancelled by UNMOVIC after the researcher insisted upon tape-recording the interview. "This was the fifth case since 28 February in which a private interview did not take place due to a condition insisted upon by the interviewee," UNMOVIC stated, adding, "Nine private interviews have taken place since 28 February."
      Finally, UNMOVIC announced the release of a working document titled "Unresolved Disarmament Issues: Iraq's Proscribed Weapons Programs." The document is better known as the "Cluster Document," which was presented by UNMOVIC Executive Chairman Hans Blix to the UN Security Council on 6 March. The document can be accessed at: http://www.un.org/Depts/unmovic/documents/cluster.htm
      Regarding the incident involving U-2 surveillance planes on 11 March, the Iraqi Foreign Ministry issued the following statement: "At 0940 a surveillance aircraft of the U2 type entered Iraqi airspace and at 1000 a second aircraft of the same type entered Iraqi airspace but without giving advance notice. Immediately, the director general of the National Monitoring Directorate contacted the director of the UNMOVIC Monitoring and Verification Center in Baghdad to find out about the identity of the second aircraft. A few minutes later, the director of the above-mentioned center contacted the National Monitoring Directorate and admitted that a mistake was made due to certain unintentional procedures taken by the committee. He expressed his deep apologies for this mistake and explained that the two planes have been ordered to leave Iraqi airspace."
      UNMOVIC did not comment on the U-2 incident in its daily briefing, but UNMOVIC spokesman Ewen Buchanan stated that the two U-2 aircraft entered Iraqi airspace as part of a routine mission for UNMOVIC, adding, "Although Iraq had been notified of a flight time window, they expressed surprise and concern that two flights were operating simultaneously. In the interests of safety, UNMOVIC requested the aircraft to withdraw," Reuters reported on 11 March. Buchanan also said that the flights are expected to continue.
      UNMOVIC confirmed that a Mosul-based inspection team visited the Arab Gulf Company for Envelopes in Mosul on 9 March. UNMOVIC confirmed that the company produces letter envelopes, but did not elaborate on the inspection.
      An International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) inspection team went to the Ur State Company, an affiliate of the Ministry of Industry and Minerals (MIM), located in Al-Nasiriyah. The inspectors verified Iraq's semi-annual declarations on the site and asked about changes made there since 1998, as well as production carried out there, and the types of aluminum bars produced at the site. The inspectors also asked about the company's sources for raw materials, the Iraqi Foreign Ministry reported, adding that inspectors visited all departments and facilities and employed radiation-detection equipment in their inspection. UNMOVIC stated that the company, which is located approximately 350 kilometers south of Baghdad, manufactures aluminum products for the construction industry, as well as copper-wire products for the power and communications industries.
      A UNMOVIC missile-inspection team returned to the Al-Taji Technical Battalion to oversee the destruction of three Al-Sumud 2 missiles and nine warheads, one missile launcher, and 19 oxidizer (propellant) tanks, according to statements by UNMOVIC and the Iraqi Foreign Ministry.
      A second missile inspection team returned to the (Al-Waziriyah Plant) Al-Karamah State Company, which belongs to the Iraqi Military Industrialization Organization (MIO). The team continued to inventory materials related to the Al-Sumud 2 missile in order to prepare them to be transported to Al-Taji for destruction, the Foreign Ministry stated. The inspectors also supervised the destruction of blueprints related to the Al-Sumud 2 missile, the ministry added. UNMOVIC specified in its statement that small missile components were inventoried and destroyed, adding that the destroyed components were sent to Al-Taji for disposal.
      A UNMOVIC chemical-inspection team went to the State Company for Manufacturing Batteries (MIM-affiliated). The inspectors questioned company officials about the company's current activities, types of products, raw material suppliers, and marketing activities. The inspectors also toured "all the factories" and verified equipment against the Iraqi declaration on the site, the Foreign Ministry reported. UNMOVIC reported that the inspectors visited three factories belonging to the battery-manufacturing company, two of which are located in Baghdad; the other is located 35 kilometers west of Baghdad.
      A biological inspection team from UNMOVIC went to the Karbala Canning Company (MIM-affiliated), where the inspectors questioned the director about the date in which the company was transferred to the private sector and whether there is a quality-control laboratory at the site. Inspectors also inquired about the number of staff, the number of those holding post-graduate degrees, as well as the suppliers of raw materials to the company and the number of departments in the company before touring the site, according to the Foreign Ministry. UNMOVIC did not elaborate on the inspection, but stated that the company produces cheese, date syrup, tomato products, vinegar, and watermelon jam.
      The Iraqi Foreign Ministry also reported that a Baghdad-based joint inspection team visited the Mesopotamia (Ma Bayn Al-Nahrayn) State Company for Seeds. The inspectors questioned company officials about the nature of the company's activities and the number of storage areas. The inspectors also carried out a radiation survey of all silos where yellow corn is stored, the Foreign Ministry stated. UNMOVIC confirmed the inspection but did not provide details about it.

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Tracking Inspections in Iraq