Statement by Spokesman of Ministry of Foreign
Affairs on Inspection Activities

IRAQI MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS

March 11, 2003

1. IAEA Inspection Team:

At 8:00 a.m., two helicopters on board of which was the immediate inspection team headed by Mr. George Hili (Canadian) took off from Al-Rashid Airport, and arrived at Ur State Company, which belongs to the Ministry of Industry and Minerals in Al-Nasiriyya. The team checked the semi-annual declarations, and inquired about the changes that took place since 1998 till now, the typical production of the Company, the types of aluminum bars produced in the Company, and the resources of the raw materials. The team visited all the departments and facilities of the Company. It used a device of Gamma rays measurement. The visit lasted nearly four hours and a half, after which the team returned to Al-Rashid Airport.

2. UMOVIC Inspection Team/ Missiles:

Group I: The group, headed by Mr. Julie William (Australian), set out of the Canal Hotel at 8:30 a.m., and arrived at the Technical Battalion at Al-Taji area. Three Al-Sumoud/ 2 missiles, nine warheads with a launching platform, and nineteen tanks for oxidizer were destroyed under the supervision of the group. The visit took about five hours, and then the group returned to the hotel.

Group B: The group, headed by Mr. Gustavo (Argentinean), set out of the Canal Hotel at 8:30 a.m., and arrived at the Al-Karam State Company/ Military Industrialization Commission. The group took stock of the items that belong to Al-Sumoud/ 2 missiles so as to load and transform them to the site of destruction at Al-Taji area. The outlines of Al-Sumoud/ 2 missile were destroyed under the supervision of the group. The visit lasted four hours and forty minuets after which the group returned to the hotel.

3. UNMOVIC Inspection Team/ Chemical:

The team, headed by Mr. Steve (British), set out of the Canal Hotel at 8:30 a.m., and arrived at the State Company for Manufacturing Batteries/ the Ministry of Industry and Minerals. The team held a meeting with the persons in charge of the Company, and inquired about the nature of the Company’s activity at present, the kinds of products, the way of getting raw materials, and marketing. Afterwards, the team made a tour that covered all the factories of the Company, checked and corresponded the equipment and the declared items. The visit took about five hours, and then the team returned to the hotel.

4. UNMOVIC Inspection Team/ Biological:

The team, headed by Mr. Philip (French), set out of the Canal Hotel at 9:00 a.m., and arrived at Karbala Canning Company/ the Ministry of Industry and Minerals. It held a meeting with the Company’s director, and inquired about the date of changing the Company to the private sector, the number of the Company’s departments, whether there is a laboratory for quality control, the number of workers, the number of persons with postgraduate degrees, and the way of getting raw materials. Afterwards, the team toured all the departments of the Company. The visit lasted almost three hours and a half after which the team returned to the hotel.