Hans Blix and Mohamed ElBaradei Heading to Iraq This Weekend - 2003-02-06

UN weapons inspectors in London updated British Prime Minister Tony Blair on their search for banned weapons in Iraq, and Mr. Blair later expressed his dissatisfaction with the efforts to disarm Iraq. Mohamed ElBaradei, head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, emphasized that Iraq must make serious changes in its cooperation with the weapons inspections before the inspectors submit their report to the UN on February 14. Hans Blix, head of UN weapons inspections, also stated that he is not satisfied with all of Iraq's responses to questions regarding its weapons. This weekend, the two are set to travel to Baghdad to discuss three requests from the UN. Mr. Blix told the Arabic newspaper Al-Hayat that Iraq must enact a law to prevent its citizens from engaging in the production of weapons of mass destruction. Flights of U-2 reconnaissance aircraft over areas suspected of producing banned weapons should be permitted, and Baghdad must allow its nuclear scientists to speak privately with the weapons inspectors. Yesterday, U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell presented what he called undeniable evidence to the UN Security Council to prove Iraq's continued production and concealment of weapons of mass destruction. Today, Mr. Powell told the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee that the international community must decide within weeks how to confront Iraq's weapons violations. Amir al-Saadi, Iraq's scientific advisor, rejected the claims in Mr. Powell's report, stating that Iraq would refute these claims in a letter to the Security Council. These developments come amid military preparations. Britain announced that it is sending nearly one hundred aircraft, 27 helicopters, and 8,100 support troops to the Gulf region in readiness for potential military operations against Iraq.