UN Securtiy Council approves UNMOVIC plan

The United Nations Security Council yesterday approved an organizational plan for the organization of the United Nations Monitoring, Verification and Inspection Commission (UNMOVIC), created to replace UNSCOM in monitoring weapons in Iraq.

UNMOVIC, headed by former International Atomic Energy Agency head Hans Blix, will be divided into four areas dealing with technical support and training, planning and operations, analysis and assessment, and information. UNMOVIC units will deal with biological weapons, chemical weapons, missiles and multidisciplinary inspections.

The composition of UNMOVIC employees is to be concentrated on United Nations employees, rather than staff paid by national governments as was the case with UNSCOM.