Press Statement on Inspection Activities in Iraq

UNMOVIC/IAEA

March 8, 2003

8 March 2003 -- An UNMOVIC missile team supervised at the Taji Technical Battalion the destruction of 6 Al Samoud 2 missiles, three of which contained a warhead each. This brings to 40 the total number of Al Samoud 2 missiles destroyed to date. Another missile team visited the Al Samoud Factory, where tools and special equipment to produce the Al Samoud-2 engine were destroyed. A third missile team visited the Al Qa Qaa complex for the verification of emptying and tagging of warheads for Al Samoud 2 missiles.

UNMOVIC conducted a private interview with an Iraqi scientist. This was the eighth such interview since 28 February. During this period, four private interviews did not take place due to the conditions imposed by the Iraqi interviewees.

An UNMOVIC biological team returned to the Al Aziziyah Airfield and Firing Range and continued to supervise the excavation of R-400 bombs. The team took additional samples from the remainders of the stainless steel containers that, Iraq has stated, had been used to transport biological agents.

An UNMOVIC chemical team inspected a sulphuric acid plant in the Al Qa Qaa complex.

An UNMOVIC multidisciplinary team inspected the Yellow Corn Workshop /Al Haydaria approximately 100km south of Baghdad.

An IAEA team inspected a military factory being built by the SAAD Company south of Baghdad. The team also visited high explosives-related sites in the same area. A second IAEA team inspected the Sahal Al Din Company that produces military electronic equipment in the Al-Dor District, 140km northwest of Baghdad. A third IAEA team performed a radiation survey 30km northwest of Baghdad.

Hiro Ueki Spokesman for UNMOVIC and the IAEA in Baghdad