Main points of Blix's report to the UN
UN chief weapons inspector Dr Hans Blix today delivered his latest update to the Security Council on his teams’ efforts to establish the truth about Saddam Hussein’s weapons of mass destruction.
The main points in the report presented by Dr Blix were:
:: Dr Blix told the UN that whereas recent concessions by the Iraqis could be regarded as active, and even proactive, three to four months into the new inspection process they could not be described as immediate co-operation.
Furthermore, they did not necessarily cover “all areas of relevance.”
Security Council resolution 1441 demanded immediate, active and unconditional compliance.
:: Dr Blix said the destruction of Al Samoud 2 missiles was a “substantial measure of disarmament.” He told the UN: “We are not talking about the breaking of toothpicks, lethal weapons are being destroyed.”
But he noted that no destruction work had been reported today, adding he hoped that would be a temporary break.
To date, 34 Al Samoud 2 missiles have been destroyed under the inspectors’ supervision.
:: The legality of the Al Fatah missile system remains under review, said Dr Blix.
:: More papers on anthrax, VX and missiles have been provided recently, but some will require further study, said Dr Blix.
:: The chief inspector said a weapons disposal site previously deemed too dangerous to investigate is now being re-excavated. To date, Iraq has unearthed eight complete bombs.
:: Dr Blix said a serious and credible effort is needed to determine how many R-400 bombs Iraq has produced.
:: Progress should be judged by whether a new list of outstanding disarmament issues was resolved, Dr Blix added. He told the Security Council: “While co-operation can and is to be immediate, disarmament and ... verification of it cannot be instant ... It will not take years, nor weeks, but months.”
:: On process issues, Dr Blix said there had been few difficulties. Although the inspections process was not “free of friction”, Dr Blix said his inspectors were able to perform professional no-notice inspections and aerial surveillance was also ongoing.
:: Dr Blix said he regretted that only a few new documents had been handed over by the Iraqis.
:: On allegations that Iraq had mobile production units for biological weapons, he said no evidence of such facilities had been found so far.
:: And no underground facilities for chemical or biological production or storage have been located so far.
:: Dr Blix said the UN would soon seek interviews with Iraqi scientists outside Iraq for the first time. To date, the inspectors had requested private interviews with 38 individuals, of which 10 had been accepted on the inspectors’ terms, seven in the last week.
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