HIGHLIGHTS OF THE NOON BRIEFING WITH FRED ECKHARD
SPOKESPERSON

UNITED NATIONS
OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY-GENERAL

December 12, 2002

Excerpts

UN COORDINATOR FOR IRAQ INVITED FOR FIRST TIME TO VISIT BAGHDAD

The Spokesman noted in a statement that on Wednesday, the Permanent Representative of Iraq to the United Nations sent a letter to Yuli Vorontsov, High-level Coordinator for Iraq, informing him that the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Iraq would welcome his visit to Baghdad.  

This is the first time the Coordinator has been invited to visit Iraq.  No time has been set for the visit yet.

In response to questions on what Vorontsov would do, the Spokesman noted that he deals with the repatriation of missing Kuwaiti or third-country nationals, or their remains, and missing property seized by Iraq. To do his job effectively, Eckhard added, Vorontsov would need to visit Iraq, and it was therefore significant that he had not been invited by Iraq until now.

UNMOVIC TEAM WITNESSES TEST MISSILE LAUNCH IN IRAQ

A UN Monitoring, Verification and Inspection Commission (UNMOVIC) team today attended a test launch of a short-range ballistic missile being developed by Iraq. 

The test took place at a test range approximately 200 kilometers west of Baghdad. The missile is a modified version of a missile already owned by Iraq. The missile range falls within that allowed under the UN resolutions. The UNMOVIC team was able to examine the missile before launch to verify its configuration.

Meanwhile, another UNMOVIC team visited a pharmaceutical plant specializing in antibiotics.

Also today, International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) teams conducted visits at five facilities, including an engineering plant, an electronics factory and a former nuclear site.

As for staffing, 28 inspectors from UNMOVIC arrived in Baghdad this afternoon, bringing the total of UNMOVIC and IAEA inspectors to 98. The breakdown of inspectors is 71 inspectors from UNMOVIC and 27 inspectors from the IAEA.

COMPENSATION COMMISSION APPROVES $181 MILLION IN AWARDS

Earlier today in Geneva, the UN Compensation Commission dealing with damages following the 1990 Gulf War approved awards totaling $181 million. The largest of those awards is for more than $100 million to Kuwait.  

The next round of payments is scheduled for January 15, 2003. The amount to be disbursed on that date is projected at around $550 million, depending on the funds received during the next few weeks from the sale of Iraqi oil, under the oil for food program.

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