Non-Subscriber Extract
Iraqi weapons: UN inspectors make progress but still face difficulties
- Article Tools
| 14 February 2003 |
By David Mulholland, JDW Business Editor, London
And Darren Lake, JDW Staff Reporter, London
UN weapons inspectors found no stockpiles of weapons of mass destruction and are making progress in disarming Iraq despite problems with Iraqi co-operation that are slowly being resolved, chief inspector Hans Blix told the UN Security council on 14 February.In 400 inspections no significant stockpiles of chemical or biological agents have been discovered that had not been declared by Iraq. However, Blix said that much remains unknown, with “many proscribed weapons … unaccounted for. In general, Blix said, Iraqi co-operation is steadily improving Blix said, with further Iraqi co-operation in the field of missiles.
Iraq disclosed that it had reconstituted the casting chambers for manufacturing the solid-fuel motor for the Badr-2000 strategic surface-to-surface missile that has a range of up to 1,000km.
Blix also confirmed that the two declared variants of the Al Samoud surface-to-surface missile were capable of exceeding the 150km range restriction imposed by theUN. In an October 2002 report the UK Government stated that the range of Al Samoud had been increased to 200km.
The Al Samoud is a liquid propellant missile with a 500mm diameter. However, in a December report to the UN Security Council Blix said that Iraq had declared a variant with a 760mm diameter.
Blix said that Iraq confirmed that it had imported 380 SA-2 engines to integrate with the Al Samoud, in contravention of resolution 687.
These elements allow the 'Al Samoud 2' to achieve greater ranges. Iraq has also admitted that the greatest range achieved in its 13 declared tests was 183km.
The missile's payload is thought to be around 300kg. UK and US sources claim that Iraq has the expertise to develop chemical or biological warheads for the system.
From December 2002, the UNMOVIC inspectors have been seeking to verify the information on Al Samoud and have observed a number of tests of the missile's components. These have included static engine tests at the Al-Rafah Liquid Engine Test Facility.
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| Aerial surveillance photograph showing the Al Mamoun test facility (CIA) |
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| Chief UN Weapons Inspector Hans Blix (right) addresses the UN Security Council on the situation in Iraq at the UN in New York 14 February (PA) |