A statement by Spokesman for Ministry of Foreign Affairs on (UNMOVIC),(IAEA) activities

IRAQ MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS

January 30, 2003

1. A call for Dr. Hans Blix and Dr. Mohammed Al- Baradee to visit Baghdad.

Dr. Amer Al- saadi, the Presidential Adviser, sent today, a letter to the Executive Director of the UNMOVIC, Dr. Hans Blix and the Director General of the IAEA, Dr. Mohammed Al-Baradee inviting them to visit Baghdad before Feb. 10th 2003 to discuss and enhance cooperation with the UNMOVIC& the IAEA.

2. UNMOVIC requests to interview two Iraqi specialists

UNMOVIC requested to interview two Iraqi specialists.

The N.MD informed them and made them available at defined time and place and encouraged them to conduct this interview. They didn’t refuse, but the first one asked to be accompanied by one of his colleagues who is working in the Ministry of Industry and Minerals to be a witness in the interview, but the second man asked two men from the staff of the N.M.D to attend the interview to be witnesses, but the UNMOVIC refused conducting this interview .

3. IAEA Inspection Team

Group: 1: Consisted of (3) inspectors, left Al- Qanat Hotel at 9, 00 a.m. It reached Al-Nahrwan area, 40 km. east of Baghdad. The group made a radiological survey in all factories of tanning in this area, the bricks factories and one military unit. This survey took about two hours, then the group returned to Al-Qanat Hotel.

Group 11: Consisted of (3) inspectors, left Al-Qanat Hotel at 9.15 a.m. It reached the 17 April Company, which is specialized in the precise casting. This Company belongs to the Ministry of Industry and Minerals. The group held a meeting with the Director of this site, inquired about the structure of this Company, the beneficiary sides of its production, the number of the staff, and the number of the post-graduates.

The group made a tour included the production & maintenance workshops and the stores. The group checked the declarations and took photos for the scrap metal used in the production. The visit took about 3 hours and 45 minutes, after that the group returned to Al-Qanat Hotel.

4. UNMOVIC Inspection Team (Biological).

A. Group 1: Consisted of (7) inspectors, left Al-Qanat Hotel at 8:30 a.m. It reached Al- Awaly Company for Alcohol Distillation; This Company is one of the mixed sector companies. It is located in Khan bani sa’d area, 30 km. east of Baghdad.

During the tour, the group inquired about the number of the staff, the engineers, the kinds of tests conducting in the laboratory of the quality control. The group checked the stickers. The visit took about one hour and 30 minutes, after that, the group returned to the Hotel.

B. Group 11: Consisted of (7) inspectors, left Al-Qanat Hotel at 8:50 a.m. It reached Al- Tharhar Company for Alcohol Distillation. This Company is one of the co-ed sector companies. It is located in Khan Bani sa’d area, 30 km. east of Baghdad. The group visited all the company’s utilities, and inquired about its activities and products, and then took a smear of the separation cone related with the solution of the treacle. The visit took about one hour and 15 minutes.

C.Group 111: Consisted of (4) inspectors, left Al-Qanat Hotel at 9:00 a.m. It reached the Central Public Laboratory which belongs to the Ministry of Health. This laboratory is located in Al- Andulus Square area in Baghdad. The group visited the laboratories of the Aids in the building of this site. Those laboratories belong to the Ministry of Health (Department of the Health Protective). The group inquired whether there are similar laboratories in other provinces of Iraq. Also the group inquired about the number of the post- graduates and from where they obtained their certificates, is there any relation with the World Health Organization? Are there any students practicing studding and training in those laboratories? the methods of conducting such tests, the kinds of apparatus used, and the date of separation of those laboratories from the Central Public Laboratory. This visit took about one hour, then the group returned to Al- Qanat Hotel.

5. UNMOVIC Inspection Team (Chemical ).

Two helicopters took off from Al-Rasheed Base carrying (16) inspectors, they reached the State Company for the Petrochemical Industries which belongs to the Ministry of Industry and Minerals. (It is located in Khor Al-zubair, area, Basrah. The team met with the Assistant of the D.G of the Company and inquired about the factory of the production of Ethylene. The team checked this factory and all its units of production, also inquired about the production and its methods and took a sample. The visit took about 4 hours, then the team returned by helicopters to Al-Rasheed Base.