CAIRO Ñ The Arab League has launched another effort to increase Arab participation
in the United Nations weapons inspections in Iraq.
Arab League secretary-general Amr Mussa has resumed talks with the
United Nations to ensure that Arab nationals are included in two separate
inspection teams meant to begin work in Baghdad later this week. They are a
team from the UN Monitoring, Verification, and Inspection Commission and the
International Atomic Energy Agency.
Mussa said 17 Arab nationals already serve as experts in the IAEA. He
said he would send a list of qualified Arab candidates to join the
inspections. This would include seven experts from Egypt, Jordan and
Lebanon, Middle East Newsline reported.
On Monday, Mussa discussed his request with IAEA director-general
Mohammed El Baradei in Cairo. El Baradei also met Egyptian President Hosni
Mubarak.
Earlier this month, El Baradei ruled out revising the inspection team
for political reasons. But after his meeting with Mussa, the IAEA chief, an
Egyptian national, said his agency is prepared to include Arab inspectors
for the mission in Iraq. He said an Egyptian woman will participate in the
inspection in Iraq and that other Arab nationals would join the teams.
The first inspection is begin to take place on Wednesday. UN Security
Council resolution 1441 allows the inspectors unfettered access and does not
require them to announce targets in advance.
In all, more than 300 inspectors will comprise the two inspection teams.
They are expected to arrive in Baghdad in groups of 100 inspectors.
Three Jordanians are members of the UNMOVIC team. They were identified
as members of the kingdom's military as well members of the staff of a major
Jordanian university.
UNMOVIC and IAEA have reopened an office in Baghdad. They will also
operate from the northern city of Mosul and the southern city of Basra.
