Statement by Spokesman of Ministry of Foreign
Affairs on Inspection Activities

IRAQI MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS

March 15, 2003

1. IAEA Inspection Team:

A. Group I:

Headed by (George Hilly), a Canadian inspector, the team set out from Al-Qanat Hotel at 9:20 a.m., and arrived at Thou Al-Feqar Factory \ MIC. The group held a meeting with the Director and discussed the modified weight and balance form of aluminum material. The new form were handed to the Factory to be filled monthly. Then, the group inspected departments and aluminum material storage. The group headed toward Al-Naser Al-Adheem Company where it visited the debris yard and some buildings there. The inspection went on for (4) hours and (15) minutes, and then the group went back to the Hotel.

B. Group II:

Headed by (Price), a Canadian inspector, the group set out from Al-Qanat Hotel 9:15a.m, it arrived at Ibn Sinaa State Company \ MIC. It conducted a radiological survey included all the Company’s facilities and the main road, which leads to the Company. The survey went on for one hour, and the group went back to the Hotel.

2.     UNMOVIC Inspection Team (Missiles):

A. Group I:

Headed by Jack, a French inspector, the group set out from Al-Qanat Hotel at 8:30a.m, and arrived at the Technical Battalion at Al-Taji. The group observed the destruction of (3) missiles, , twelve warheads and six fuel tanks. The visit lasted for (4) hours, after which the group went back to the Hotel.  

B. Group II:  

Headed by Octivian, a Romanian inspector, the group set out from Al-Qanat Hotel at 8:30a.m, and arrived at Al-Qa’qa State Company \ MIC. The group heat covers on the tags of the warheads of Al-Soumoud missile-2. The visit lasted for an hour and (15) minutes, after which the group went back to the Hotel.

3.     UNMOVIC Inspection Team (Chemical):

Headed by Steve, an English inspector, the group set out from Al-Qanat Hotel at 10:15a.m, and arrived at Al-Dora Refinery \ Ministry of Oil. The group held a meeting with the persons in charge of the Refinery asking about the changes that have taken place since 1998, nature of work, the Refinery units, kind of tower equipment, number of workers, engineers and holders of higher education degrees. The group discussed the declarations relating to the Refinery. Then the team visited the facilities and the stores. The visit lasted for two hours, after which the group went back to the Hotel.

4. UNMOVIC Inspection Team (Biological):

Headed by Philip Michel, a French inspector, the team set out from Al-Qanat Hotel at 8:30a.m, and arrived at the stores of Military Medical Command \ Ministry of Defense. The team held a meeting with the Commander of the site and asked about the site, its work, its relation with the military hospitals and the Iraqi importing parties and number of the personnel who hold higher education degrees. The team also asked whether there have been any dual use materials since 1998. Then, it visited all the stores in the site. The visit lasted for (3) hours and (30) minutes, after which the team went back to the Hotel.

5. UNMOVIC Inspection Team (Joint):  

At 8:30a.m, the team took off from Al-Rasheed Airport by helicopter, headed by the Chilean inspector (Khozey Salyanees ). The team arrived at the giant cannon site in Hemreen area where the inspectors got acquainted with its base as they photographed the concrete base. The visit went on for (40) minutes, and then the team went back to Al-Rasheed Airport.

6. UNMOVIC Inspection Team in Mosul (Joint):

Headed by the German inspector (Deter Dhotbakher), the team set out from Nineveh Palace Hotel. It arrived at Saddam Dam Project where the inspectors visited storing station specialized for pumping; they toured around the site by vehicles. Also, the team visited the lake and the storages of the said site. The visit went on for (2) hours, and then it went back to the Hotel.

7. U-2  Reconnaissance Plane :

At 10: 50a.m, U-2 reconnaissance plane entered Iraqi airspace as it reconnoitered several areas in the country. It left the airspace at 4:40a.m. The reconnaissance lasted for (6) hours.