Press Statement on Inspection Activities in Iraq

UNMOVIC/IAEA

20 December 2002

An UNMOVIC chemical team inspected the Tuwaitha Industrial Chemical Research Centre. Even though it was a Muslim day of rest and there was only a guard at the Centre, the site was made available to full inspection. All managers of the departments of the Centre, who arrived shortly after the inspection began, briefed the UNMOVIC team about the current activities of their departments.

Two IAEA teams requested access to a facility during non-standard hours at the former Tuwaitha nuclear complex. The complex now conducts civilian research in the non-nuclear field. They observed work-shift levels during this non-work day period.

They also inspected the Shakyli stores during a non-work day. Shakyli is a store for dual-use equipment from the past Iraqi nuclear programme.

They also carried out environmental gamma radiation surveys in the area.

Two UNMOVIC inspectors arrived in Baghdad yesterday, bringing the total number of inspectors to 115. The breakdown of inspectors is 96 from UNMOVIC and 19 from the IAEA.