The Rotterdam-based newspaper "Handelsblat" on 21-22
September published a lengthy interview with Hans Blix, chief of the
UN Monitoring, Verification, and Inspection Commission (UNMOVIC). The
reporter who conducted the interview, Robert van der Roer, questioned
Blix as to the accuracy of some of President George W. Bush's
claims about Iraq's nuclear and chemical capabilities in his UN
address. However, Blix noted that these comments may be based on
intelligence information that was not passed on to him.
Blix said he is particularly worried about biological and
chemical weapons in Iraq and that his teams "cannot find everything
in such a large country."
He commented: "Some people are saying that
inspections alone will not be sufficient and will never provide
sufficient information regarding Iraq's weapons of mass
destruction program. In their opinion, the only solution would be an
armed action against Iraq and a change of regime. There are others
who want the resumption of the arms inspections; their position is
included in UN Resolution 1284. This is our program; that is what we
have been tasked with. We are not involved in politics, we are an
instrument of the United Nations."
At any rate, Iraqi Ambassador to Russia Dr. Abbas Khalaf told
ITAR-TASS on 24 September that international disarmament inspectors
can start working in Iraq on 15 October and noted, "Iraq plans
fruitful cooperation with international inspectors." (David Nissman)
RFE/RL Iraq Report Vol. 5, No. 31, 27 September 2002
