Middle East

Hans Blix

Iraq's promised missile destruction 'very significant, real disarmament' - Blix

28 February 2003
Iraq's promised destruction of its Al Samoud 2 missiles is "a very significant piece of real disarmament," chief United Nations weapons inspector Hans Blix said today, as a written report by UN monitors on the inspection process was distributed to Security Council members late Friday.
UN inspectors in Iraq

UN weapons inspectors make first Mirage IV surveillance flight in Iraq

27 February 2003
United Nations weapons inspectors have carried out their first Mirage IV surveillance operation in Iraq, adding a second element to their air inspections that already include U-2 flights.

Iraq agrees in principle to UN demand to destroy missiles

27 February 2003
Iraq agreed in principle today to a United Nations demand to destroy its Al Samoud 2 missiles, the UN Monitoring, Verification and Inspection Commission (UNMOVIC) announced late Thursday in New York.
UN inspectors in Iraq

UN inspectors resume destroying Iraqi mustard shells, visit biological arms site

26 February 2003
United Nations weapons teams inspected missile, chemical, medical and nuclear-related sites across Iraq today, resuming the destruction of mustard-filled artillery shells and checking for the third day running a site where Iraq says it destroyed bombs filled with biological agents.
Hans Blix speaking to reporters

New Iraqi disarmament letters have 'some positive elements' - Blix

25 February 2003
United Nations disarmament official Hans Blix said today he has received new letters from Iraq containing some "positive elements" for his search for evidence of banned weapons of mass destruction, but cautioned that the correspondence needs to be explored further.

Iraqi petrol exports earn $338 million under UN's oil-for-food scheme

25 February 2003
Iraqi oil revenues for the week ending 21 February totalled $338 million based on the export of 11.9 million barrels, according to the United Nations office overseeing the humanitarian "oil-for-food" programme, which allows Baghdad to use a portion of its petroleum sales to buy relief supplies.
Ms. Mervat Tallawy and Michel Moussa of Lebanon

UN meeting aims to help Arab journalists better understand development issues

25 February 2003
Prominent Arab journalists and media experts convened in Beirut today for a United Nations-backed workshop aimed at enhancing the capacity of reporters to raise public awareness and participation in sustainable development issues.

Annan appeals to Iraq to disarm and cooperate, says war not inevitable

24 February 2003
Secretary-General Kofi Annan made a new appeal to Iraq today to disarm and cooperate proactively with United Nations inspectors in their search for banned weapons of mass destruction, saying that even now war was not inevitable.

Blix, UN monitoring board meet to discuss upcoming report on Iraq inspections

24 February 2003
The United Nations board that provides guidance to UN disarmament official Hans Blix is meeting today with him to review his upcoming quarterly report to the Security Council on the work of the UN weapons inspectors in Iraq.
Council President Gunter Pleuger

Two plans presented to Security Council for next steps in disarming Iraq

24 February 2003
The Security Council today was presented with two plans on how to proceed with the disarmament of Iraq, with one calling for bulked up and continued inspections by the United Nations while the other would find that Iraq has failed to take the “final opportunity” afforded to it in resolution 1441.