Baghdad bars UN inspectors, invites UNSCOM representatives

Iraq has decided to invite two representatives from each country represented in the UN Special Commission (UNSCOM) in charge of dismantling Iraq's weapons of mass destruction to locations that are off-limits to UNSCOM currently. Iraq is denying US accusations of storing chemicals at these locations and other sites.

Iraqi News Agency INA said quoting a statement released following a meeting for the Iraqi leadership presided by Saddam that Iraq decided to invite two representatives from each country represented in UNSCOM and other five representatives for the UN five permanent member states to host them for one week or a month.

The statement added Iraq has decided to bar the inspectors from over 60 sites including presidential palaces, noting that Iraq no longer has any weapons of mass destruction and the barred sites are three and not 63 as claimed by the US.

In another development the UN chief weapons inspector, Richard Butler has told the security council he will visit Iraq next week to discuss with Iraq's Deputy Premier Tareq Aziz an informal agreement governing inspections of sensitive sites, dating from June 1996.

Also, Iraq has refused any minor changes in the oil-for-food deal. On his last visit to the US, Aziz called this deal a "farce".

The UN inspection team work in Iraq continues unhindered, without finding any violations.