UN inspectors to be withdrawn from Iraq

UNITED NATIONS Secretary- General Kofi Annan last night said he would order the organisation’s weapons inspectors and humanitarian staff to leave Iraq.

“I have just informed the (security) council that we will withdraw the ... inspectors,” he said.

It was not immediately clear when the evacuation of the 156 inspectors and support staff would begin.

The inspectors have previously said they need 48 hours’ notice to evacuate their teams, suggesting British and US forces could be at war by mid-week.

The decision to withdraw the inspectors was announced shortly after it became clear the US and its allies had abandoned attempts to get a second UN resolution authorising the use of force against Saddam Hussein and were expected to proceed without one.

Earlier yesterday, the head of the UN’s International Atomic Energy Authority Mohamed El-Baradei said he had been contacted late last night by the US government urging him to pull out his team. He said similar

advice had been given to the chief UN weapons inspector Hans Blix and his team.

“I immediately involved the president of the Security Council and asked for guidance. I also informed the UN Secretary-General,” Mr El-Baradei told the IAEA board in Vienna.

Preparations for departure appeared to have begun in Baghdad even before Mr Annan made his announcement.

Germany and the Czech Republic announced they were closing their embassies in Baghdad. India and China evacuated their ambassadors while Greece said it expected to have its embassy staff out within a few days.

Bahrain diplomatic staff also quietly pulled out. Britain also advised all of its citizens except diplomatic staff to leave Kuwait as soon as possible.

Finland issued a similar advisory to all its citizens in Kuwait.

The US ordered all government dependants and nonessential staff out of Kuwait, Syria, Israel and the West Bank and Gaza.

Despite the crisis, weapons inspections proceeded yesterday. The Information Ministry reported visits to four sites. UN spokesman Hiro Ueki confirmed that inspection teams were back on the road, but added: “We are ready for any contingency.”

Foreign journalists, meanwhile, were heading out of Baghdad for Jordan.

Two reporters with the American network ABC said they were leaving.

American network NBC said it was pulling its television crew from the country.

China’s official Xinhua news agency said six Chinese reporters were leaving.

A week ago, there were 450 foreign journalists in Baghdad. Yesterday the number was down to 300.