UN Sets Conditions For Iraq Visit

31/01/2003| IslamWeb

The UN's chief nuclear arms inspector says Iraq must show progress on its co-operation with his team before he will accept Baghdad's invitation to return for talks. Mohamed ElBaradei said Iraq must "move forward" - for example allowing private interviews with its scientists - if he and chief inspector Hans Blix are to attend talks before 10 February. The announcement comes as US President George W Bush prepares for talks on the Iraq crisis with his staunchest ally, UK Prime Minister Tony Blair.

The strategy session at the presidential Camp David retreat has already been dubbed a "council of war" by some observers.

On the eve of this crucial summit, Mr Bush declared that he would give diplomacy "weeks not months" to work.

Some US politicians such as senior Democrat Senator Tom Daschle hope Mr Blair will be a restraining influence on Mr Bush, toning down the president's threats of war.

But the BBC's Guto Harri, travelling with Mr Blair, said the UK leader is expected to reiterate that the US is not alone and that standing firm is the best way to avoid conflict.

Private interviews

Baghdad announced on Thursday it was inviting Mr Blix and Mr ElBaradei for talks before they make another progress report to the Security Council on 14 February.

But Mr ElBaradei has made it clear that any visit will be conditional on good behaviour from the Iraqis.

"We need to make sure there will be progress when we go there," Mr ElBaradei said.

In particular, Mr ElBaradei has called on Iraq to fulfil its requirement under the latest Security Council resolution to allow his team to question Iraqi scientists without official minders present.

"Private interviews are very important to create confidence. It is in their own national interest to speak to us directly in private," he said.

He also wants Iraq to agree to the use of U2 surveillance planes.

"It is very important before we go that (it is arranged that) we meet the highest level of leadership," he said.

European backing

Mr Blair arrived in Washington for his talks with Mr Bush having shored up support among several European countries for the tough US line which is demanding that Iraq comply with United Nations resolutions or face the prospect of military action.

He made a stopover in Madrid where both he and Spanish Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar stressed Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein had a "last chance" to disarm.

The Camp David talks come a day after Mr Blair, Mr Aznar and six other European leaders published an article backing a transatlantic alliance to ensure that Iraq has no banned weapons of mass destruction.

Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi - another of the signatories - held meetings with Mr Blair and Mr Bush this week. He pledged his support to Mr Bush and called the US "the guarantee of our democracy".

The article also highlighted the gaps between the signatories and France and Germany, which have said they will work together to avoid war. Neither country's leader was offered the chance to sign the article.

Current European Union president Greece also criticised the initiative.

The US is continuing to lead a military build-up in the Gulf.

Iraq's Deputy Prime Minister Tariq Aziz told a visiting German delegation that the threats from Washington had to be taken seriously, although he reiterated Baghdad's view that an invasion could be repelled.

Elsewhere in the Gulf, the US moved to reduce its diplomatic presence in Kuwait and Saudi Arabia by offering to fly out all non-essential personnel and families.

The State Department issued warnings which, while not saying war was coming, suggested US citizens avoid travelling to the two countries while saying Americans already there should consider leaving.

PHOTO CAPTION

The inspectors want to see better co-operation