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| Sunday, 9 February 2003 |
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U.N. inspectors to begin crucial Iraq visit LARNACA, Cyprus, Saturday (Reuters) Top U.N. weapons inspectors, warning that Iraq must take drastic action to avert war, begin a crucial visit to Baghdad on Saturday as Iraq appeared to increase cooperation over banned weapons. Chief inspectors Hans Blix and Mohamed ElBaradei, who will hold two days of talks on Iraqi disarmament, said on Friday that private interviews with Iraqi scientists and surveillance flights were major issues on their agenda. U.S. President George W. Bush said the United Nations must soon decide whether to back America's demand that Iraq abandon its alleged chemical, biological and nuclear programmes or be disarmed by force. Iraq denies having any such weapons. U.S. Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, who is in Germany for an annual security conference, said on Friday the march towards a showdown with Iraq had quickened. Aware of deep international disquiet over the prospect of war, Iraq has bowed to a key U.N. demand and let weapons inspectors hold private interviews with Iraqi scientists. The first interview occurred on Thursday. On Friday, Iraq said U.N. weapons inspectors held private interviews with three more scientists. A Foreign Ministry statement said the interviews lasted between 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 hours. Inspectors had long pressed for scientists to be interviewed without other Iraqis present to protect informers from reprisal. Blix gave Iraq's move a cautious welcome, but warned Baghdad inspections could only work with "active cooperation from Iraq, not on process but on substance." ELBARADEI CALLS FOR MEETING WITH SADDAM ElBaradei called for a meeting with Iraqi President Saddam Hussein, which he said would greatly help in getting better cooperation. "We would be willing to meet with him obviously if he's ready to meet with us," he said. "That would be useful to have a discussion with him and explain to him our needs to make progress." Iraq has refused to allow U2 spy planes to fly over its territory, another key sticking point. The United States wants the planes to monitor suspected sites it alleges are being demolished or doctored by Iraq. But Britain's U.N. ambassador Sir Jeremy Greenstock told U.S. television that Baghdad was on the verge of allowing the spy flights over its territory after permitting its scientists to attend private interviews. Greenstock said he expected a "third cookie from the Iraqis," in the form of legislation saying that its citizens cannot be involved in weapons of mass destruction operations. All three concessions were requested by Blix and ElBaradei in a letter they wrote a week ago in response to Baghdad's invitation for a visit. The inspectors must report back to the U.N. Security Council on February 14. A critical report could start a countdown for U.S.-led military action to disarm Iraq. "This is a defining moment for the U.N. Security Council," Bush told reporters. "If the Security Council were to allow a dictator to lie and deceive, the Security Council would be weakened." The leaders of France and China, both veto-holding Security Council members, told Bush they wanted to avoid war. A day after Bush said "the game is over" for Saddam, the United States ploughed ahead on a war footing by ordering a fifth aircraft carrier to the Gulf, where thousands of U.S. troops are gathering, and increased the terror alert level at home, warning of a high risk of attack. RESOLUTION MAY NOT INCLUDE DEADLINE Bush repeated he would welcome a new U.N. resolution that backs up the demands of the resolution the Security Council approved in November warning of serious consequences if Iraq did not give up any weapons of mass destruction. While nearly all agree Baghdad has fallen far short of compliance with resolution 1441, fewer Security Council members say Iraq is a big enough threat to warrant war. Diplomats said a new Security Council resolution seeking international legitimacy for war may not include a deadline for Saddam to comply nor explicitly authorise force. In an effort to get more support, British U.N. ambassador Greenstock, suggested the new measure could declare Iraq in "further material breach" -- diplomatic code words for war -- of the November 8 resolution that sent the U.N. arms inspectors back to Iraq. No text, expected to be drafted by Britain, will circulate in New York until after the weapons inspectors report to the 15-nation U.N. Security Council on November 14. A possible vote would probably take another two weeks. Some U.S. officials do not want any deadlines in the resolution, others believe a short one may be necessary. Rumsfeld is due to address an annual security conference in the southern German city of Munich on Saturday and is expected to argue that allowing more time for weapons inspections in Iraq made sense only if Iraq cooperates with the United Nations. As Rumsfeld arrived in Munich, about 2,500 demonstrators rallied in freezing temperatures to vent their anger against what one banner described as Washington's "imperialist war". Organisers expect some 8,000 people to attend a mass march on Saturday. |
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