Destruction of Iraqi warheads and missiles proceeds under UN supervision

The United Nations today supervised the destruction of six more Al Samoud 2 missiles and 11 additional warheads in Iraq, according to a spokesman for the world body.

"To date, a total of 46 Al Samoud 2 missiles have been destroyed, along with 16 warheads, 1 launcher and 5 engines," spokesman Hiro Ueki said. Another missile team went to the Al Qaa Qaa storage site to verify the emptying and tagging of warheads for Al Samoud-2 missiles before inspecting the facility's solid propellant production plant.

UN experts also probed the Al Fatah Factory of the Karama State Company and destroyed some mechanical parts of guidance and control assemblies for Al Samoud 2 missiles.

Meanwhile, a germ warfare team of the UN Monitoring, Verification and Inspection Commission (UNMOVIC) supervised the transfer of excavated R-400 bombs and fragments to a more secure area of the Al Aziziyah Airfield and Firing Range.

UN chemical weapons experts visited the Tadmur Company for Tanning and Leather Industry. "The company had been declared as using declarable chemicals," Mr. Ueki said. "The team learned, however, that the company had closed sometime ago."

Inspections were also carried out in areas northwest of Kirkuk.

Experts from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) inspected the General Systems Company, which produces electronic control equipment and is located in central Baghdad.

"Another IAEA team performed a car and foot radiation survey that included surveying the insides of buildings in the Jurf al Naddaf complex, south of Baghdad," said Mr. Ueki. "The area surveyed contained warehouses engaged in seed and grain sorting and handling, a small plastic water pipe factory with adjacent family residence, a builder's yard, empty warehouses, and a large modern plastic bag manufacturing building."

In another development, Mr. Ueki reported that on Saturday evening, the IAEA conducted a "completely private interview" with an Iraqi scientist.