Saddam promises unhindered inspections

Saddam Hussein promised a Russian envoy that international inspectors will not be hindered in their work, the Russian Foreign Ministry today.

The ministry said Saddam made the promise to Yevgeny Primakov, a former Soviet foreign minister and Russian prime minister, when they met in Baghdad yesterday.

Primakov has mediated in Iraq on several occasions, most prominently in his attempts to stave off the 1991 Gulf War.

The Foreign Ministry statement was the first confirmation that Primakov had gone to Baghdad or met Saddam. It said Primakov went as a representative of President Vladimir Putin.

“The aim of the meeting was to explain the position of the Russian Federation on the Iraq question and received assurance that Iraq will strictly fulfil UN Security Resolution 1441, completely and unconditionally co-operating with international inspectors,” the statement said.

“Saddam Hussein said that there will be no hindrances to the work of inspectors of UNMOVIC and IAEA,” the statement said, using the acronyms of the UN weapons inspectors and the International Atomic Energy Agency.

Russia has repeatedly spoken against any military strike against Iraq to force Saddam to give up weapons of mass destruction, but has insistently admonished Iraq that full co-operation with the UN resolution is necessary to end the crisis through diplomacy.