GRANMA December 19, 2002 UN analyzes Iraq's report Inspectors have found no evidence against Iraq
UNITED NATIONS (PL).- Caught up in U.S. war rhetoric, the UN Security Council is today analyzing the Iraqi report on weapons of mass destruction, in a session that could prove crucial. Yesterday Mohamed al Baradei, director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) confirmed that there is no evidence to suggest that the Arab country has any development program for these types of weapons. As previously arranged, Hans Blix, head of the UN Monitoring, Verification and Inspection Commission (UNMOVIC) is to present an initial evaluation of the 12,000-page report handed over by Iraq on December 8, in strict fulfillment of the Resolution 1441 30 days earlier. Although in principle the contents should only be available to the UNMOVIC and the IAEA, Washington immediately received a copy and, a few days later, more arrived for the four other permanent members of the Security Council: Britain, France, Russia and China. The 10 non-permanent members only obtained on Tuesday (December 17) a copy of a few thousand pages, "cleansed" of what the UN inspectors qualified as "sensitive information," alluding to countries that supplied materials for the previous Iraqi programs. Sources that had access to the document stated that Iraq admitted to having tried in the past, without the necessary capacity, to produce nuclear weapons, while expounding in detail its total abandonment in 1991 of any attempt to develop chemical or biological military hardware. To date, as confirmed by daily communiqués circulated here, the approximately 100 inspectors who had total freedom of access to all Iraqi installations, without previous warning to the authorities, have not found any evidence that Iraq has concealed any information. Nonetheless, prior to the Security Council meeting, senior U.S. figures were confirming that the Arab country committed flagrant violations of its obligations. On Tuesday, John S. Wolf from the State Department met with Blix, with the apparent objective of exercising pressure in favor of the military attack option. At least one senior White House official commented to an important national newspaper that Thursday was going to be their big day, in allusion to the Security Council deliberations. Observers note that despite heavy U.S. pressure, the other members of the Council, including its closest allies, believe it is premature to talk of flagrant violations, the pretext sought by the warmongers. December 19, 2002 UN analyzes Iraq's report Inspectors have found no evidence against Iraq UNITED NATIONS (PL).- Caught up in U.S. war rhetoric, the UN Security Council is today analyzing the Iraqi report on weapons of mass destruction, in a session that could prove crucial. Yesterday Mohamed al Baradei, director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) confirmed that there is no evidence to suggest that the Arab country has any development program for these types of weapons. As previously arranged, Hans Blix, head of the UN Monitoring, Verification and Inspection Commission (UNMOVIC) is to present an initial evaluation of the 12,000-page report handed over by Iraq on December 8, in strict fulfillment of the Resolution 1441 30 days earlier. Although in principle the contents should only be available to the UNMOVIC and the IAEA, Washington immediately received a copy and, a few days later, more arrived for the four other permanent members of the Security Council: Britain, France, Russia and China. The 10 non-permanent members only obtained on Tuesday (December 17) a copy of a few thousand pages, "cleansed" of what the UN inspectors qualified as "sensitive information," alluding to countries that supplied materials for the previous Iraqi programs. Sources that had access to the document stated that Iraq admitted to having tried in the past, without the necessary capacity, to produce nuclear weapons, while expounding in detail its total abandonment in 1991 of any attempt to develop chemical or biological military hardware. To date, as confirmed by daily communiqués circulated here, the approximately 100 inspectors who had total freedom of access to all Iraqi installations, without previous warning to the authorities, have not found any evidence that Iraq has concealed any information. Nonetheless, prior to the Security Council meeting, senior U.S. figures were confirming that the Arab country committed flagrant violations of its obligations. On Tuesday, John S. Wolf from the State Department met with Blix, with the apparent objective of exercising pressure in favor of the military attack option. At least one senior White House official commented to an important national newspaper that Thursday was going to be their big day, in allusion to the Security Council deliberations. Observers note that despite heavy U.S. pressure, the other members of the Council, including its closest allies, believe it is premature to talk of flagrant violations, the pretext sought by the warmongers. ------------------------------------------- Macdonald Stainsby http://lists.econ.utah.edu/mailman/listinfo/rad-green http://lists.econ.utah.edu/mailman/listinfo/leninist-international -- In the contradiction lies the hope. --Bertholt Brecht _______________________________________________ Leninist-International mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] To change your options or unsubscribe go to: http://lists.econ.utah.edu/mailman/listinfo/leninist-international
