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

IRAQI MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS

March 2, 2003

1. IAEA Inspection Team:

A. Group I: Led by Fector, a Canadian inspector, the group set out from Al-Qanat Hotel at 8:40 a.m., using apparatuses carried on a vehicle, the group conducted a radiological survey for the second Camp of Al-Taji, which covered all the main roads, sub-roads and buildings. Coordinates of all the sites inside the camp were fixed during this visit. The survey operation lasted for (4) hours and (15) minutes, after which the group went back to the Hotel.

B. Group II: Led by Rober Keeli, an American inspector, the group set out from Al-Qanat Hotel at 8:30 a.m., and arrived at Al-Bashaer Limited Company for Commercial Agencies. The group restricted movement in the building occupied by the Company and held a meeting with its Director and asked about Company’s activities. It also inspected rooms and sections, got acquainted with all the files and documents, took photos for some of them and checked all the computers. The inspection lasted for nine and a half hours, after which the group went back to the Hotel.

2. UNMOVIC Inspection Team (Chemical):

Led by Steve Alanson, an English inspector, the team set out from Al-Qanat Hotel at 9:00 a.m., and arrived at the Chlorine Factory which belongs to Tariq State Company, one of the MIC’s Companies. The team visited all the units of the Factory and got acquainted with each unit in details, it demanded the design of distributing electricity to the facilities. The inspection lasted for (2) hours and (15) minutes, after which the team went back to the Hotel.

3. UNMOVIC Inspection Team (Biological):

Led by Yan Rozing, a Dutch inspector, the team set out from Al-Qanat Hotel at 8:40 a.m., and arrived at the site where the bombs had been destroyed in Al-Aziziya, Ministry of Defense. The team took samples from the site, and went back to the Hotel.

4. UNMOVIC Joint Inspection Team:

Led by Tomas Beeri, an Australian inspector, the team set out from Al-Qanat Hotel at 9:00 a.m., and arrived at one of the air defense sites, Ministry of Defense. The team held a meeting with the commander and asked about the activities carried out by the maintenance unit on the missiles. Then, the team toured all the facilities of the unit. The inspection lasted for (2) hours and (10) minutes, then the team went back to the Hotel.

5. UNMOVIC Inspection Team (Missiles): 

A. Group I: Led by Korin, a French inspector, the group set out from Al-Qanat Hotel at 8:30 a.m., and arrived at the site of the Technical Battalion, in Al-Taji, where it observed the destruction of (6) missiles of Al-Soumoud (2). The inspection lasted for (5) hours, then the team went back to the Hotel.

B. Group II: Led by Kay, a French inspector, the group set out from Al-Qanat Hotel at 8:45 a.m., and arrived at Al-Ma’moon Factory which belongs to Al-Rasheed Company. The group observed the destruction of the mold of pouring out solid fuel. The visit lasted for (80) hours, then the group went back to the Hotel.

6. Interviews:  

A - On 1/3/2003, the UNMOVIC demanded to conduct an individual interview with four Iraqi specialists in one of Baghdad’s hotels. The NMD informed three of the concerned persons of both venue and date of the intended interview and encouraged them to conduct it, while it was impossible to inform the forth person as he is living abroad. The UNMOVIC interviewed one of the three persons, but it refused to interview the other two persons because one of them insisted on recording the interview on a tape recorder, while the second insisted on the presence of one of his friends.

B - On 2/3/2003, the UNMOVIC demanded to conduct an individual interview with an Iraqi specialist in one of Baghdad’s hotels. It is worth mentioning that the concerned specialist is currently working in the private sector and the UNMOVIC had previously refused to interview him because of his insistence on recording the interview on a tape recorder. The person concerned was informed of the interview but he refused to attend it.

7. Reconnaissance Plane (Mirage):

At 9:40 a.m., the reconnaissance plane (Mirage-4) entered the Iraqi airspace and reconnoitered numerous areas of Iraq. Then, the plane left Iraqi airspace at 12:50 p.m., after a reconnaissance operation that lasted for (3) hours and (10) minutes.