Iraq must prove arms destruction, says Blix

UNITED NATIONS weapons chief Hans Blix said yesterday Iraq must prove that it has destroyed banned weapons and let its scientists answer questions freely.

With the United States signalling impatience over Iraqi compliance with UN disarmament demands, Blix and International Atomic Energy Agency director Mohamed ElBaradei embarked on a four-day diplomatic tour that will end in Baghdad on Sunday.

Mr Blix described the current situation as very tense and dangerous and said there were two major avenues open to Iraq.

One was to comply with the inspections and the other was to face war:

“We feel that Iraq must do more than they have done so far. They need to be proactive to convince the Security Council through us that they have no such weapons or to deliver them so they can be destroyed under our supervision.”

One important way for the Iraqis to verify what they say is through interviews, but Mr Blix said up to now those capable of giving such evidence had been accompanied by minders who interrupted or intimidated them.

He believed these people should be allowed speak to the inspectors in private or allowed to leave the country if they wished.

“If they fully co-operate and let us look around their archives and budgets and let people speak, it could be fast. But if they stonewall it will be delayed.”

Iraqi Presidential adviser al-Saadi denied the Iraqi government was discouraging scientists from being interviewed in private by saying that it was up to them to agree.

Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov said he was concerned Washington was putting an increasing amount of pressure on the inspectors. Mr Blix is expected to meet French President Jacques Chirac in Paris today.