Iraqi biological scientist grants private interview

UN weapons inspectors have conducted a private interview with an Iraqi biologist, the first such interview since February 7, the inspectors said today.

Inspectors’ spokesman Hiro Ueki said the interview took place Friday evening.

The interviews have been a key demand of the UN weapons inspectors, who believe them necessary to verify whether Iraq, as it claims, has eliminated its weapons of mass destruction.

Most scientists had refused to grant unsupervised interviews without recording the conversations, a condition the inspectors refused because they believe the scientists will speak less candidly if they know their government can review their statements.

Ueki did not give the specific conditions of the interview, but said it was “private,” a term the United Nations has used to mean the session was not taped.

A team of UN inspectors investigating Iraq’s nuclear program have been conducting interviews, but they have allowed the scientists to record them. Chemical, biological and missiles teams have refused to allow recordings.

Three non-nuclear interviews were conducted – on February 6 and February 7 - but since then no scientist had agreed to an interview under the UN terms.