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

IRAQI MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS

February 19, 2003

1. IAEA Inspection Team:

A.Group I: consisting of (5) inspectors and led by Jorge Heli, a Canadian inspector, the group set out from Al-Qanat Hotel at 9:00a.m and arrived at Alzawra State Company, one of the MIC companies, in Zafranya area which is one of Baghdad’s suburbs. All the buildings related to production, administration and services were visited by the members of this group who got acquainted with the activity in each one of them.

The visit lasted for three hours and fifteen minutes, after which the group went back to the Hotel.

B. Group II: Consisting of (3) inspectors and led by Price, a Canadian inspector, the group set out from Al-Qanat Hotel at 8:30a.m and arrived at the Nahrawan area, east of Baghdad. The group conducted a radiological survey, starting from the Nahrawan area towards the (7) Nisan area to the village of (7) Nisan, in different directions.

This survey activity lasted for (3) hours, after which the group went back to the Hotel.

C. Group III: Consisting of (4) inspectors and led by Nel, an English inspector, the group set out from Al-Qanat Hotel at 8:45a.m, and arrived at Alneda’ State Company, one of the MIC companies, some (15) km south of Baghdad. The group visited the Company’s workshop and stores, and then headed for the site of the State Company for Mechanical and Electrical contracts, which belongs to the Ministry of Irrigation, near Alfeda Company. It visited all the stores of this company as well as the building of the Heavy Equipment Mending Factory.

The visit lasted for three hours and a half, after which the group went back to Al-Qanat Hotel.

3. UNMOVIC Inspection Team (Missile):

A. Group I: The group set out from Al-Qanat Hotel at 9:50a.m and arrived at Alfeda State Company. It fixed stickers on the rocket launchers that were in the Company for maintenance. Then, the group headed for abu Graib (the launcher’s exhibition area), and fixed tags on the launchers. The visit lasted for 2.45h, after which the group went back to the Hotel.

The group consisted of (3) inspectors and was led by Mohammad Saif Al-islam, a Bangladeshi inspector.

B. Group II: Consisting of (2) inspectors and led by Jhon Hi Li, a Korean inspector, the group set out from Al-Qanat Hotel at 9:40a.m, and arrived at Ibn Alhaitham Factory which belongs to Al-karama State Company. The group fixed the tags on Al-Soumoud missiles.

The visit lasted for 3.05h, after which the group went back to the Hotel.

C. Group III: Consisting of (2) inspectors and led by Ken Groof, an American inspector, the group set out from Al-Qanat hotel at 9:30a.m and arrived at Al-Soumoud Factory which belongs to Alkarama State Company. The group fixed tags on machines and equipment in the Factory and checked the tags on the equipment and took photos for them.

The visit lasted for (4) hours, after which it went back to the Hotel.

D. Group IV: Consisting of (4) inspectors and led by Andrie, an Ukrainian inspector, the group set out from Al-Qanat Hotel at 8:30a.m, and arrived at the Technical Battalion in Altaji. It fixed tags on Al-Soumoud missiles, and then it headed for the site of a military unit in the Eshaki area where it also fixed tags on Al-Soumoud missiles.

The visit lasted for (5) hours, after which the group went back to the Hotel.

E. Group V: Consisting of (2) inspectors and led by Custabo Monras, an Argentinean inspector, set out from Al-Qanat Hotel at 8:30a.m, and arrived at Alma’moon Factory which belongs to Al-Rasheed State Company, some 50km south of Baghdad. The group asked about the operations concerning production and manufacturing of missiles’ engines. Then the group went to Alqaed Factory which belongs to Al-Qa’qa Company. It visited the site where the warheads are filled.

The visit lasted for (5) hours, after which the group went back to the Hotel.

4. UNMOVIC Inspection Team (Biological):

Consisting of (8) inspectors and led by Yan Rosing, a Dutch inspector, the team set out from Al-Qanat hotel at 8:40a.m, and arrived at the College of Agriculture, Tikreet University. The team met with the person in charge of the Food Industries Department and asked him about the establishment of the college and department, number of the teaching staff and the scientific degrees held by the staff. Then, the team visited the College of Science, met with the Head of the Department of Biology and asked him about the number of departments and whether they have post- graduate students. Then, the team visited the Chemical Engineering Department in the Engineering College and checked the labeled apparatuses. Then, it visited the College of Education for Girls and checked the equipment and items declared by Iraq. Finally, the team headed for Tikreet Dairy Company (private sector) and toured all its facilities. The team visited the labs and the stores of all the aforementioned colleges.

The visit lasted for 4.30h, after which the team went back to the Hotel.

5. UNMOVIC Inspection Team (Chemical):

A. Group I: Consisting of (8) inspectors and led by Shein, an Irish inspector, the group set out from Al-Qanat hotel at 9:00a.m, and arrived at the Vegetable Oils State Company, one of the Ministry of Industry and Minerals companies, which lies in Baghdad, on the road leading to Al-Rasheed Camp. The group met with the Deputy Director General of the Company and some of the concerned persons. It asked them about the number of the workers, number of those who hold higher degrees, number of working hours and the changes that took place during the last four years. The group visited both Alma’moon and Al-Rasheed factories in this Company. It also visited the Company’s stores, soap production unit, the labs, filling section and cosmetics production unit. The group used a device for examining metals by (x) ray.

The visit lasted for about (8) hours, after which the group went back to the Canal hotel.

B. Group II: Consisting of (18) inspectors and led by Harold Marhold, an Austrian inspector, the group set out from Al-Qanat hotel at 8:00a.m, and arrived at the site of the cancelled Almuthana Facility, 120km south of Baghdad. The group made an attempt to pierce 155mm shells that are filled with mustard but it failed to do so because of technical difficulties, and hence the operation was postponed to the next week.

The visit lasted for (7) hours, after which the group went back to the Hotel.

6. Interviews:

The IAEA demanded to interview an Iraqi concerned person alone in one of Baghdad’s hotels. The NMD informed the concerned person of both the venue and date of the interview and encouraged him to conduct this interview. The interview took place and the Iraqi concerned person documented it by using a tape recorder. The interview lasted for (2) hours.