This is a complete transcript of Dr. Hans Blix's report to the United Nations
Security Council on February 28, 2003. The transcription was prepared by
the U.N. as a PDF file and has been reformatted for E2. Please note that the
links in this document have been added for E2 linking purposes only and should
not be construed as adding emphasis. Only the sections headings are bold
in the original document1.
Sections 1 - 64 of the report deal primarily with UNMOVIC procedural and administrative
matters. Sections 65 - 73 contain the Executive Chairman's observations
about the current state of affairs and progress in the disarmament of Iraq as
specified in Security Council resolution 1284.
The importance attached to this report can be judged by the fact that proponents of a war with Iraq, and those opposed to it have both claimed that the report supported their views. On March 7, 2003, Dr. Hans Blix is scheduled to make a verbal report to the U.N. Security Council further describing the inspection and disarmament progress.
Twelfth quarterly report of the Executive Chairman of the
United
Nations Monitoring, Verification and Inspection Commission in accordance with
paragraph 12 of Security Council resolution 1284 (1999)
Introduction
1. The present report, which is the twelftha submitted in accordance
with paragraph 12 of Security Council resolution 1284 (1999), covers the
activities of the United Nations Monitoring, Verification and Inspection
Commission (UNMOVIC) during the period from 1 December 2002 to 28 February 2003.
2. The period under review has been one of intense activity for the
Commission.
In Iraq, inspections and monitoring were resumed on 27 November 2002,
requiring a rapid build-up of inspection and support staff and the resolution of
operational and logistics issues. In New York the analysis of Iraq’s
declarations and unresolved disarmament issues went hand in hand with intense
planning of inspections and administrative activities.
Briefings and consultations by the Executive Chairman
3. In the period under review, the Executive Chairman of UNMOVIC briefed the
Security Council informally on 19 December 2002 and 9 January 2003 on the
declaration presented by Iraq on 7 December in response to paragraph 3 of
Security Council resolution 1441 (2002), and on the progress of inspections in
Iraq and other UNMOVIC activities. In accordance with paragraph 5 of the same
resolution, he updated the Council on 27 January on the resumption of inspection
activities. He also provided on 14 February, at an open session of the Council,
a briefing on UNMOVIC activities.
4. The Executive Chairman and the Director General of the International
Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) visited Baghdad from 19 to 20 January and from 8 to
9 February for talks with representatives of the Government of Iraq. During
these visits, they met with Vice-President Taha Yassin Ramadan. In addition, the
Executive Chairman met in London with the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
and in Paris with the President of France. In Athens, he met with the Foreign
Minister of Greece, which currently holds the European Union Presidency. He also
visited Brussels and met with senior officials of the European Commission and
the European Union. In New York, he had meetings with Prime Ministers,
high-level officials of Member States, as well as with Foreign Ministers, and he
also briefed visiting parliamentarians and government officials.
5. The Secretary-General and his senior staff were kept informed, on a
continuing basis, of the activities of the Commission.
Declaration submitted by Iraq on 7 December 2002
6. Responding to the requirement in paragraph 3 of Security Council
resolution 1441 (2002) to provide a "currently accurate, full and complete
declaration of all aspects of its programmes to develop chemical, biological,
and nuclear weapons, ballistic missiles, and other delivery systems", on 7
December, Iraq submitted a declaration to UNMOVIC and the IAEA and, through its
President, to the Security Council. The declaration, including supporting
documents, comprised more than 12,000 pages.
7. On 19 December and again on 9 January, the Executive Chairman, in his
informal briefings to the Council, presented an assessment of the information
contained in the declaration. UNMOVIC experts have found little new significant
information in the part of the declaration relating to proscribed weapons
programmes, nor much new supporting documentation or other evidence. New
material, on the other hand, was provided concerning non-weapons-related
activities during the period from the end of 1998 to the present, especially in
the biological field and on missile development.
8. The part that covers biological weapons is, in UNMOVIC’s assessment,
essentially a reorganized version of a previous declaration provided
by Iraq to the United Nations Special Commission (UNSCOM) in September 1997. In
the chemical weapons area, the basis of the current declaration was a
declaration submitted by Iraq in 1996 with subsequent updates and explanations.
In the missile field, the declaration follows the same format, and has largely
the same content as Iraq’s 1996 missile declaration and updates.9. However,
some sections contained new information. In the chemical weapons field, Iraq
further explained its account of the material balance of precursors for chemical
warfare agents, although it did not settle unresolved issues on this subject.
10. In the missile area, there is a good deal of information regarding Iraq’s
activities
in the past few years. A series of new projects have been declared that are at
various stages of development.
11. As there is little new substantive information in the weapons part of
Iraq’s declaration, or new supporting documentation, the issues that were
identified as unresolved in the Amorim report (S/1999/356) and in UNSCOM’s
report (S/1999/94) remain. In most cases, the issues remain unresolved because
there is a lack of supporting evidence. Such supporting evidence, in the form of
documentation, testimony by individuals who took part in the activities, or
physical evidence, would be required.
Inspections and inspection capabilities in Iraq
12. Since the arrival of the first inspectors in Iraq on 27 November 2002,
UNMOVIC has conducted more than 550 inspections covering approximately 350
sites. Of these 44 sites were new sites. All inspections were performed without
notice, and access was in virtually all cases provided promptly. In no case have
the inspectors seen convincing evidence that the Iraqi side knew in advance of
their impending arrival.
13. The inspections have taken place throughout Iraq at industrial sites, ammunition
depots, research centres, universities, presidential sites, mobile
laboratories, private houses, missile production facilities, military camps and
agricultural sites. At all sites, which had been inspected before 1998, re-baselining
activities were performed. This included the identification of the function and
contents of each building, new or old, at a site. It also included verification
of previously tagged equipment, application of seals and tags, evaluation of
locations for the future installation of cameras and other monitors, as well as
taking samples and discussions with the site personnel regarding past and
present activities. At certain sites, ground-penetrating radar was used to look
for underground structures or buried equipment. Similar activities were
performed at new sites. Inspections are effectively helping to bridge the gap in
knowledge that arose due to the absence of inspections between December 1998 and
November 2002.
14. More than 200 chemical and more than 100 biological samples have been
collected at different sites. Three quarters of these have been screened using
UNMOVIC’s own analytical laboratory capabilities at the Baghdad Ongoing
Monitoring, Verification and Inspection Centre (BOMVIC). The results to
date have been consistent with Iraq’s declarations.15. UNMOVIC has identified
and started the destruction of approximately 50 litres of mustard declared by
Iraq that had been placed under UNSCOM supervision and seal at the Muthanna site
in 1998. This process will continue. A laboratory quantity (1 litre) of thiodiglycol, a mustard precursor, which had been found at another site, has
also been destroyed.
16. Towards the end of February 2003, a juncture when rotation of inspectors
is taking place, the number of UNMOVIC personnel in Iraq reached a total of 202
staff from 60 countries. This includes 84 inspectors. In addition, BOMVIC has a
team of United Nations translators and interpreters and a logistics and
administrative staff. A unit of 10 United Nations security officers ensures the
security of BOMVIC offices 24 hours a day. Medical and communication staff has
been provided by the Government of New Zealand as a contribution to UNMOVIC
operations. The manpower required to refurbish BOMVIC office space at the Canal
Hotel was provided by the Government of Switzerland.
17. UNMOVIC air operations are carried out by 1 airplane and 8 helicopters,
with a total of 57 air staff. These operations are covered by contracts with
four different companies. The L-100 plane, which flies between Larnaca and
Baghdad, is under a contract with a South African company. Contracts with
Canadian, Russian and United Kingdom companies cover the helicopter assets.
18. With the exception of the crew of the aircraft and the helicopters and
the staff provided by the Governments of New Zealand and Switzerland, all
UNMOVIC employees of BOMVIC are United Nations staff recruited under the staff
rules of the Organization.
19. A field office was opened in Mosul, in the north of Iraq, the first week
in January, with the cooperation of Iraqi authorities. This operation base is
temporarily located in a hotel with full communications capabilities. There are
currently 28 staff at this location. Planning for the setting-up of
prefabricated offices at Mosul airport is currently under way. There is a United
Nations security team at the field office, and arrangements have been made to
ensure medical assistance to the staff.
20. UNMOVIC is in the process of planning for a second field office in Basrah,
in the south of Iraq, in March. The Iraqi authorities are providing cooperation
to this effect.
21. During the period from 1 December 2002 to 28 February 2003, inspectors
have been provided with high technology, state-of-the-art equipment. This
includes some 35,000 tamper-proof tags and seals for tagging equipment, 10 enhanced chemical agent monitors
(ECAMS), 10 toxic industrial materials
detectors (TIMs), 10 chemical monitors (APCC), nuclear, biological and chemical
protection (NBC) suits, respirators, dosimeters with reader, a complete chemical
laboratory with requisite laboratory supplies and equipment, ground-penetrating
radars, 3 portable gas chromatograph-mass spectrometers, 12 ultrasonic pulse
echo detectors to screen the inside of warheads, equipment for sampling warheads
(MONIKA), 3 alloy analysers, and biological detection and screening equipment to
include PCR, ELISA, immunoassay and rapid screening technologies. Additionally,
UNMOVIC has used its network of accredited laboratories to analyse a sample of
missile propellant. Cameras and other surveillance systems are currently in Cyprus awaiting shipment to Baghdad.
22. The Commission’s Larnaca field office has been expanded. It continues
to provide essential logistics and other support.
High-level meetings in Baghdad
23. On 19 and 20 January and on 8 and 9 February, the Executive Chairman,
together with the Director General of the IAEA, visited Baghdad to discuss
relevant inspection and cooperation issues. He was accompanied in these missions
by a number of UNMOVIC senior staff and experts.
24. The first meetings in January between the Iraqi side and UNMOVIC and the
IAEA were devoted to stocktaking of the inspections which had taken place so far
and to resolving certain operational issues. This included the questions of the
clarification of the 7 December declaration, provision of documents, the conduct
of interviews, air operations, as well as access and Iraqi assistance to the
logistic buildup.
A joint statement was issued upon conclusion of the talks. While it recorded
a number of matters which had been solved, some remained unresolved, such as
flights by U-2 surveillance planes, the conduct of interviews, the enactment of
national legislation.
25. At the meeting on 8 and 9 February, the Iraqi side addressed some of the
important outstanding disarmament issues. A number of papers were handed over to
UNMOVIC, regarding unresolved issues in all three disarmament fields. Expert
discussions were held to clarify the contents of these papers. However, they did
not contain new evidence, nor did they resolve any of the open issues.
26. Other matters discussed included the possibility of verifying, through
technical and analytical methods, the quantities of biological agents and
chemical precursors, which had been declared unilaterally destroyed; the
establishment of Iraqi Commissions to search for proscribed items and relevant
documents, the necessity of private interviews, and the enactment of national
legislation in accordance with the monitoring plan approved by the Security
Council in resolution 715 (1991).
Interviews
27. In accordance with paragraph 5 of Security Council
resolution 1441 (2002), UNMOVIC has the right to conduct, at its sole
discretion, interviews with Iraqi officials and other persons with or without
the presence of observers from the Iraqi Government, both inside and outside of
Iraq. In the review period, UNMOVIC requested 28 individuals to present
themselves for interviews in Baghdad (without the presence of observers). At
first, none of them agreed. At the meeting on 19-20 January, the Iraqi side
committed itself to "encourage" persons to accept interviews "in
private". Immediately prior to the next round of discussions, Iraq informed
UNMOVIC that three candidates, who had previously declined to be interviewed
under UNMOVIC’s terms, had changed their minds. UNMOVIC is currently examining
the practical modalities for conducting interviews outside the territory of
Iraq.
Missile programmes declared by Iraq
28. In its 7 December declaration and again in its semi-annual monitoring
declaration, Iraq declared the development and production of two types of
surface to- surface missiles, which, according to the data presented, were
capable of surpassing the range limit imposed on Iraq by Security Council
resolution 687 (1991) and had indeed done so in a number of tests. Iraq also
declared the acquisition of a large number of surface-to-air missile engines for
use, after appropriate modification, in the production of these missiles. This
import violates the arms embargo established by the Council in paragraph 24 of
resolution 687 (1991).
29. UNMOVIC staff have evaluated and assessed these missile projects — the
Al Samoud 2 and the Al Fatah. It has also sought the assessment of a panel of
international experts on the matter. To that end, a meeting took place on 10-11
February at United Nations Headquarters with experts from China, France,
Germany, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Ukraine and
the United States of America. The Russian expert nominated was unable to attend.
30. As a result of these assessments, it was concluded that all variants of
the Al Samoud 2 missile were inherently capable of ranges of more than 150
kilometres and were therefore proscribed weapons systems.
31. The panel found that clarification of the Al Fatah missile data supplied
by Iraq was required before the capability of the missile system could be
assessed.
UNMOVIC will request such clarification.
32. UNMOVIC inspection teams proceeded to tag the Al Samoud 2 missiles, as
well as related missile components, such as engines.
33. The experts also reviewed the capabilities of casting chambers at the Al
Mamoun facility. These had previously been destroyed under UNSCOM supervision
since they were intended for use in the production of the proscribed Badr-2000
missile, but had subsequently been refurbished by Iraq. The experts concluded
that these reconstituted chambers could still be used to produce motors for
missiles capable of ranges significantly greater than 150 kilometres.
Accordingly, these chambers remain proscribed.
34. On 21 February, UNMOVIC, in accordance with relevant
resolutions, directed Iraq to destroy the proscribed missile system and the
reconstituted casting chambers. The destruction process is to commence by 1
March.
Aerial operations
35. Subsequent to the high-level discussions on 8 and 9 February, on 10
February, the Government of Iraq formally accepted UNMOVIC’s use of aerial
surveillance platforms and undertook to take the necessary measures to ensure
their safety.
36. The first such flight was conducted by a high-altitude U-2 surveillance
aircraft on 17 February. This aircraft has conducted further flights. The
missions are flown by the United States on behalf of UNMOVIC. A Mirage IV
medium-altitude surveillance aircraft, flown on behalf of UNMOVIC by the
Government of France, undertook its first mission on 26 February. The two
aircraft can provide a number of different types of imagery and both are able to
provide digital imagery to UNMOVIC in New York within a few hours of the
missions taking place.
UNMOVIC is currently discussing the use of a Russian AN-30 surveillance
aircraft and German unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) to supplement its aerial
surveillance platforms. UNMOVIC already has eight helicopters stationed in Iraq,
as well as access to satellite imagery.
37. The increased capability for aerial surveillance through these new
platforms provides UNMOVIC and the IAEA with additional tools to strengthen
their operations and to verify Iraq’s compliance with its obligations.
Other developments
38. In December, UNMOVIC asked Iraq to provide, under the fourth subparagraph
of paragraph 7 of resolution 1441 (2002), the names of all personnel currently
or formerly associated with some aspects of Iraq’s programme of weapons of
mass destruction and ballistic missiles. The Iraqi response was received at the
end of December. However, it was deemed to be inadequate, as it did not even
include all those who had been previously listed in Iraq’s full, final and
complete declaration. Iraq has since then supplemented its list of participants
in the missile programme, and has declared itself to be ready to do the same in
the other disciplines. This matter is still being followed up.
39. On 14 January, UNMOVIC received from the National Monitoring Directorate
Iraq’s semi-annual monitoring declaration for the period from July 2002 to
January2003.
40. On 16 January, UNMOVIC chemical experts inspecting the Al Ukhaidhir
military stores, discovered a number of empty 122-mm chemical munitions. The
munitions have been tagged pending their destruction.
41. Following this discovery, Iraq appointed a commission of inquiry to
undertake an investigation and comprehensive search for similar cases at all
locations. One find of four more empty 122-mm chemical munitions was reported by
that commission at Al Taji munitions stores. Subsequently, UNMOVIC inspectors
found two more such munitions at the same site. These six munitions will also be
destroyed.
42. Later in January, Iraq expanded the mandate of the commission to search
for any remaining proscribed items on Iraqi territory. A second commission was
appointed with the task of searching for any documents relevant to the
proscribed items and programmes. It is headed by the former Minister of Oil, General Amer
Rashid, and has extensive powers of search in industry,
administration and private houses.
43. On 21 and 25 February, Iraq informed UNMOVIC that two complete R-400
aerial bombs (one of which had liquid contents), plus remnants of what it states
were 118 R-400 bombs, had been excavated at Azzizziyah, the declared unilateral
destruction site of BW-filled aerial bombs, along with some related components
and remnants of other destroyed munitions. UNMOVIC inspectors are currently
investigating these finds.
44. In the course of February, the Iraqi side transmitted to UNMOVIC lists of
persons involved in the unilateral destruction during the summer of 1991 in the
chemical, biological and missile fields.
45. After repeated requests by UNMOVIC and the IAEA for national implementing
legislation, a presidential decree was issued in Baghdad on 14 February,
containing prohibitions for persons and companies in the private and mixed
sectors against the production or import of biological, chemical and nuclear
weapons. UNMOVIC is requesting clarification of the decree and enquiring whether
further legislative actions will follow.
Staffing
46. As at the end of February 2003, UNMOVIC core staff in the
Professional grades at Headquarters comprised 75 persons (of 30 nationalities).
Thirteen members of the staff are women.
Training
47. UNMOVIC has continued to attach high priority to the training of staff
and potential staff.
48. UNMOVIC conducted its seventh basic training course in Vienna from 20
January to 7 February for 59 selected experts from 22 countries. This brings the
total number of persons trained by UNMOVIC to 380, including 49 staff members
from Headquarters. They comprise 55 nationalities. Further training courses are
envisaged.
49. The Commission is grateful to those Member States that have supported the
training activities.
Non-inspection sources of information
50. With the commencement of inspections in Iraq on 27 November, the pace of
work of the Office for Outside Information increased substantially. Countries
that had supplied intelligence-related information to UNMOVIC in the previous
two years were again contacted in an effort to obtain new up-to-date
intelligence to assist in the inspection programme. Also, additional countries
were contacted in an effort to expand the base of knowledge currently available.
To date, approximately a dozen countries have provided information of potential
relevance to UNMOVIC’s mandate. Much of that information has been utilized in
conducting inspections in Iraq.
51. The Open Sources Officer has continued efforts to research and make
available to UNMOVIC information relating to Iraq’s industrial infrastructure
that could be used in the production of prohibited weapons. In addition, there is
a large volume of public information available suggesting procurement of items
by Iraq that could have a dual-use capability.
Communications
52. The inspectors were provided with the capabilities for clear and secure
voice transmission from and within the mission area utilizing state-of-the-art
equipment.
The network is completely independent of the Iraqi public network. The
telecommunications network, both voice and data, has a built-in redundancy and
allows for future expansion. This redundancy is achieved by routing connections
via two different satellite carriers.
53. The inspectors have INMARSAT devices and Thuraya satellite phones.
Thurayas are used to establish communication from the field. The INMARSAT is
being used for the field operations and also as a back-up in the regional
offices.
Each inspector was provided with a VHF radio and the VHF coverage extends
about 80 kilometres around Baghdad. Long-range high-frequency stations were
installed in the BOMVIC, the regional office in Mosul, the Office in Larnaca and
the Al Rasheed air base.
Goods Review List
54. On 5 December, in resolution 1447 (2002), the Security Council renewed
the "Oil-for-Food" programme for a further 180 days. The resolution
also required that a review of the Goods Review List (GRL) and its procedures be
completed by 3 January 2003. Discussions took place during December and the
agreed changes were endorsed in resolution 1454 (2002) on 30 December. The
changes dealt with additions to the GRL to include, for example, Global
Positioning System (GPS) jammers and all-terrain tyres and amendments to the
entries on trucks and trailers/low loaders. As a result of the amendments,
UNMOVIC performed a reassessment exercise that involved the review of 200
contracts to check if they still contained items on the GRL in the light of the
revised lists.
55. Resolution 1454 (2002) also revised the GRL procedures. The [Office of the
Iraq Programme (OIP) is required to establish consumption levels for certain
specific materials by 1 March. For contracts containing items below these
consumption levels, approval is vested in OIP. If the consumption level is
exceeded, further exports of these goods will require approval by the sanctions
Committee established pursuant to Security Council resolution 661 (1990).
Examples of goods subject to this new procedure include atropine, selected
pesticides], growth media and certain types of antibiotics.
56. The GRL procedures were also expanded for UNMOVIC and the IAEA. Both
organizations are now required to keep records of certain types of materials and
equipment, which could be considered for incorporation into the GRL at 90-day
review points.
College of Commissioners
57. On 19 December, following the resignation, in the autumn of 2002, of Ms.
Malmi Marjatta Rautio (Finland), the Secretary-General, in consultation with the
members of the Security Council and the Executive Chairman, appointed Ms. Olga
Pellicer (Mexico) as a member of the College of Commissioners.
58. Special sessions of the College of Commissioners were held at United
Nations Headquarters on 23 January and 12 February. The Executive Chairman gave
the Commissioners a report on the work of UNMOVIC since the previous sessions of
the College, and on the discussions held in Baghdad on 19-20 January and on 8-9
February, respectively, as well as on recent developments with respect to the
Security Council’s deliberations on Iraq.59. The College held its twelfth
regular plenary session at United Nations Headquarters on 24 and 25 February. In
addition to the members of the College, observers from the IAEA and the
Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons attended.
60. The Chairman reported on developments during the period under review.
61. The College commended the Chairman for his recent reports and briefings
to the Security Council. The College also discussed a draft paper prepared by
UNMOVIC outlining clusters of unresolved disarmament issues. The College
welcomed the draft paper and commended it for its approach, in particular, its
indication of actions Iraq could take to help to resolve particular issues,
which could be successful only if Iraq provided immediate, unconditional and
active cooperation.
The draft paper would serve as an important source for the selection of the
key remaining disarmament tasks called for in resolution 1284 (1999) and would
be updated on a continuous basis as new information became available, including
especially for the period 1998 to the present.
62. It was agreed that Commissioners be afforded time until 3 March for
submitting any further comments they wished taken into account in the
finalization of the paper.
63. It was decided to hold the next quarterly session on 28 and 29 May.
64. In accordance with paragraph 5 of resolution 1284 (1999), the
Commissioners were consulted on the contents of the present report.
Observations
65. After three months of inspections, it may be legitimate to ask about
results.
First, has UNMOVIC come up to its full potential yet? Second, has Iraq
cooperated, as required, and has disarmament been achieved?
66. The paragraphs above provide a description of the more important elements
in UNMOVIC’s work to establish and develop an effective inspection regime to
verify that Iraq is free from, or being freed from, all weapons of mass
destruction and other proscribed items — disarmament.
• UNMOVIC has, in most
areas, more resources and more advanced tools at its disposal than did UNSCOM
and, in several respects, UNMOVIC has developed a capacity that goes beyond what
was contemplated in its initial planning, e.g., in the number of personnel,
number of teams in the field, number of sites visited. Yet, it could certainly
further expand and strengthen its activity, e.g., in some form of controls of
vehicles. Member States could also provide further support and assistance,
notably in the field of information.
• UNMOVIC is presently finalizing an internal document of some importance,
namely, a list of the disarmament issues, which it considers
currently unresolved, and of the measures which Iraq could take to resolve them,
either by presenting proscribed stocks and items or by providing convincing
evidence that such stocks or items no longer exist. The list, which in condensed
form traces the history of clusters of weapons issues, has been prepared with a
view to allowing UNMOVIC to perform its tasks under resolution 1284 (1999) to
"address unresolved disarmament issues" and to identify "key
remaining disarmament tasks". It could also serve as a yardstick against
which Iraq’s disarmament actions under resolution 1441 (2002) may be measured.
67. The paragraphs above further describe the actions taken by Iraq to
respond to the obligations laid upon it in the relevant resolutions. Several of
these are specific, as the obligation under resolution 1441 (2002) to provide a
declaration 30 days after the adoption of the resolution. However, there is
further the general obligation, prescribed in that resolution, to cooperate
"immediately, unconditionally and actively" and the similar earlier
requirement, in resolution 1284 (1999), for "cooperation in all
respects". Has Iraq provided such cooperation and has it led to
disarmament?
68. In comments on this question, a distinction has been made between
cooperation on "process" and cooperation on "substance".
UNMOVIC has reported that, in general, Iraq has been helpful on
"process", meaning, first of all, that Iraq has from the outset
satisfied the demand for prompt access to any site, whether or not it had been
previously declared or inspected. There have thus been no sanctuaries in space.
Nor have there been any sanctuaries in time, as inspections have taken place on
holidays as on weekdays. While such cooperation should be a matter of course, it
must be recalled that UNSCOM frequently met with a different Iraqi attitude.
69. Iraq has further been helpful in getting UNMOVIC established on the
ground, in developing the necessary infrastructure for communications, transport
and accommodation. Help has been given by the Iraqi side when needed for
excavation and other operations. Iraqi staff has been provided, sometimes in
excessive numbers, as escorts for the inspection teams. There have been minor
frictions, e.g., demonstrations against inspectors and Iraqi criticism of some
questions put by inspectors in the field.
70. A number of other actions might be discussed under the heading
"cooperation on process"
(a) After some initial difficulties with Iraq relating to escorting flights
into the no-fly zones, UNMOVIC helicopters have been able to operate as
requested both for transport and inspection purposes;
(b) After some initial difficulties raised by Iraq, UNMOVIC has been able to
send surveillance aircraft over the entire territory of Iraq in a manner similar
to that of UNSCOM;
(c) The Iraqi commission established to search for and present any proscribed
items is potentially a mechanism of importance. It should, indeed, do the job
that inspectors should not have to do, namely, tracing any remaining stocks or
pieces of proscribed items anywhere in Iraq. Although appointed around 20
January, it has so far reported only a few findings four empty 122-mm chemical
munitions and, recently, two BW aerial bombs and some associated components;
(d)
The second Iraqi commission established to search for relevant documents could
also be of importance, as lack of documentation or other evidence is the most
common reason why quantities of items are deemed unaccounted for. Iraq has recently reported to UNMOVIC that the Commission had found documents
concerning Iraq’s unilateral destruction of proscribed items. As of the
submission of this report, the documents are being examined;
(e) The list of
names of personnel reported to have taken part in the unilateral destruction of
biological and chemical weapons and missiles in 1991 will open the possibility
for interviews, which, if credible, might shed light on the scope of the
unilateral actions. Such interviews will soon be organized. Before this has
occurred and an evaluation is made of the results, it is not possible to know
whether they will prove to be a successful way to reduce uncertainty about the
quantities unilaterally destroyed;
(f) Iraq has proposed a scientific technical procedure to measure quantities
of proscribed liquid items disposed of in 1991. UNMOVIC experts are not very
hopeful that these methods will bring meaningful results and will discuss this
matter with Iraq in early March in Baghdad;
(g) It has not yet proved possible to obtain interviews with Iraqi
scientists, managers or others believed to have knowledge relevant to the
disarmament tasks in circumstances that give satisfactory credibility. The Iraqi
side reports that it encourages interviewees to accept such interviews, but the
reality is that, so far, no persons not nominated by the Iraqi side have been
willing to be interviewed without a tape recorder running or an Iraqi witness
present.
71. Cooperation on substance
(a) The declaration of 7 December, despite the hopes attached to it and
despite its large volume, has not been found to provide new evidence or data
that may help to resolve outstanding disarmament issues. As has been mentioned
above, it did, however, usefully shed light on the developments in the missile
sector and in the sector of non-proscribed biological activities in the period
1998-2002;
(b) The destruction of some items, e.g., small known quantities of
mustard, is taking place under UNMOVIC supervision and further such action will
take place, e.g., as regards the empty 122-mm chemical munitions;
(c) Iraq has
identified two aerial R-400 bombs, as well as remnants of what it states to be
118 R-400 bombs, at Azzizziyah;
(d) The destruction of Al Samoud 2 missiles and
related items declared by Iraq but found proscribed under the relevant
resolutions has been requested and is due to commence on 1 March. Iraqi
cooperation is essential;
(e) The presidential decree, which was issued on 14
February and which prohibits private Iraqi citizens and mixed companies from
engaging in work relating to weapons of mass destruction, standing alone, is not
adequate to meet the United Nations requirements. UNMOVIC has enquired whether a
comprehensive regulation is being prepared in line with several years of
discussions between Iraq and UNSCOM/UNMOVIC.
72. Under resolution 1284 (1999), Iraq is to provide "cooperation in all
respects" to UNMOVIC and the IAEA. While the objective of the cooperation
under this resolution, as under resolution 1441 (2002), is evidently the
attainment, without delay, of verified disarmament, it is the cooperation that
must be immediate, unconditional and active. Without the required cooperation,
disarmament and its verification will be problematic. However, even with the
requisite cooperation it will inevitably require some time.
73. During the period of time covered by the present report, Iraq could have
made greater efforts to find any remaining proscribed items or provide credible
evidence showing the absence of such items. The results in terms of disarmament
have been very limited so far. The destruction of missiles, which is an
important operation, has not yet begun. Iraq could have made full use of the
declaration, which was submitted on 7 December. It is hard to understand why a
number of the measures, which are now being taken, could not have been initiated
earlier. If they had been taken earlier, they might have borne fruit by now. It
is only by the middle of January and thereafter that Iraq has taken a number of
steps, which have the potential of resulting either in the presentation for
destruction of stocks or items that are proscribed or the presentation of
relevant evidence solving long-standing unresolved disarmament issues.
Notes
a The Commission’s 11 previous reports were issued as documents S/2000/516,
S/2000/835,S/2000/1134, S/2001/177, S/2001/515, S/2001/833, S/2001/1126,
S/2002/195, S/2002/606, S/2002/981 and S/2002/1303.
1 The original pdf format file of this report can be found
at: http://www.un.dk/doc/S.2003.232.pdf