Iraq ready to assist UNSCOM, demands fair treatment

BAGHDAD, Dec 17: Iraq said on Tuesday that it may continue cooperating with United Nations disarmament inspectors but called on the UN Secu...

BAGHDAD, Dec 17: Iraq said on Tuesday that it may continue cooperating with United Nations disarmament inspectors but called on the UN Security Council to respect its sovereignty and be more objective. After a joint meeting of the revolutionary command council and the leadership of the ruling Baath party, Baghdad said the country was “leaning toward continuing its cooperation with the UN Special Commission on disarming Iraq (UNSCOM)”.

The two highest Iraqi bodies also said the Security Council should respect the country’s sovereignty and security and adopt an “objective and balanced” outlook toward Iraq. Their statement came less than a day after the end of the mission to Iraq of UNSCOM chief Richard Butler, who said Baghdad categorically refused to open Saddam Hussein’s presidential palaces to UNSCOM inspectors.

Iraq is barring UNSCOM inspectors from presidential palaces despite a Security Council call for full access, but it has eased curbs on access to other “sensitive” sites, Butler said. He told a press conference on arrival in Manama that Iraq’s refusal was “categorical” on presidential sites during his mission, which had produced “mixed” results.

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Progress was made on the issue of access to other sensitive sites and on the number of inspectors allowed in. “We were able to clarify the rules for inspection of sensitive sites. Iraq has given us an undertaking in that context which we will test in the weeks and months ahead,” he said. The Iraqis “have in the past imposed limitations upon us to only four people to make the entry into those (sensitive) sites. I said that doesn’t work … Iraq undertook to ensure that the number would be larger, he added.

Butler said he would return to Baghdad on January 19 for more talks with Deputy Prime Minister Tareq Aziz. Citing US threats of military actions, Iraq refused to provide a list of its presidential sites on the grounds that “it might help those who want to bomb Iraq to do so more precisely,” Butler said.

Meanwhile on Monday, UNSCOM inspectors checked 14 sites, INA reported.

“Eleven UNSCOM teams made surprise inspections at 14 sites,” said to General Hussam Mohammed Amin, Director of the Department of National Surveillance.