Iraq agrees to receive UN experts to exterminate poisons

The representative of the United Nations' secretary general in Baghdad, Prakash Shah, announced on Thursday that Iraq has agreed to receive a UN team in order to eliminate poisons left by UNSCOM inspectors in their offices in Baghdad.

In a press conference he held in Baghdad, Shah stated that he had received Iraq's consent during a meeting he had held with Iraqi Deputy Premier Tareq Aziz, but he did not set a date for the arrival of this team, which will include 11 persons, to Iraq.

A statement from UN spokesman Fred Eckhard said that the operation was likely to take place within two weeks.

Shah said in Baghdad on Thursday that the experts who will form the UN team to eliminate the poisons will be chosen from countries and agencies that have never dealt with before with UNSCOM.

He added, "Of course, we are in need of cooperation with the Iraqi authorities."

He stated that the experts can transfer part of the poisons outside Iraq or destroy the other part.

The UN team will be composed of experts in chemical and germs materials, as well as two doctors and three observers representing UN permanent member states and the director of the inspection center in Baghdad.