Iraqi personnel decline UN request for private interviews

Exercising powers granted by the Security Council, United Nations officials in Iraq tried to interview privately several individuals, but were unable to do so after they declined, a UN spokesman in Baghdad reported Saturday.

On Friday, the UN Monitoring, Verification and Inspection Commission (UNMOVIC) requested "further interviews with Iraqi personnel in private" but "two individuals concerned did not agree to it without the presence of a witness," said Hiro Ueki. As a result, those interviews were not held.

"UNMOVIC will continue to seek interviews in private, as allowed in Security Council resolution 1441," Mr. Ueki stressed, referring to the landmark text which paved the way for resumed inspections following a four-year suspension.

According to the spokesman, officials from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Ð the UN watchdog probing Baghdad's clandestine nuclear weapons programme Ð flew by helicopter, with representatives of the Iraqi National Monitoring Directorate, to a facility formerly known as Al Jesira to conduct an interview in private. "The individual concerned declined the request," Mr. Ueki said, adding that the interview was then conducted in the presence of a representative of the Directorate.

Meanwhile, inspectors continued their activities, including visits to the Al Rasheed State Company at Al Mamoun, the Sumaykah surface-to-surface missile support facility, the College of Veterinary Medicine and the College of Education at Quadisiyah University, the Al Qa Qaa complex, the North Oil Company and the Colleges of Education and Engineering at Tikrit University.