Iraq tests missile engine for UN inspectors

Iraq said yesterday it was seriously studying a UN request to destroy its al-Samoud 2 missiles as it test-fired a rocket engine to show UN weapons inspectors it did not violate range limits.

"We are studying the letter of (chief weapons inspector) Mr Blix about destroying the missiles in depth and in a serious and comprehensive way," General Husam Mohammad Amin, head of Iraq's weapons monitoring, told a news conference.

"We hope that this issue will be resolved through agreement and cooperation and without interference from the Americans and the British... I believe that we will be able to resolve this issue without any intervention by those with evil intentions," Amin added.

UN chief weapons inspector Hans Blix has ordered Iraq to start destroying its al-Samoud 2 missiles by March 1, saying they exceed UN limits established in 1991.

Baghdad says the missile was designed to stay within the permitted 150-km range.

But Amin refused to answer direct questions on whether Iraq would destroy the missiles.

"I can assert and I say that this missile only constitutes one aspect of our defence capabilities... Destroying these missiles will affect our defence capabilities but would not completely terminate them," he added. The inspectors, who have been in Iraq since November searching for weapons of mass destruction, are expected to present a report on March 7.

Former Russian Prime Minister Yevgeny Primakov was in Baghdad yesterday on a mission for President Vladimir Putin aimed at averting any US attack.

Primakov, a Middle East expert and a long-time friend of Saddam, met senior Iraqi officials before leaving.

Yesterday's test-firing of a rocket engine in front of the UN experts happened at the Falluja site 70 kms west of Baghdad.

"This is the fifth time that the arms inspectors see such a test," Colonel Ali Jasim Hussein told Reuters Television.

Amin said UN weapons inspectors had now searched 635 sites and would use a French Mirage warplane in the coming days during their inspections.

Baghdad has also allowed a German drone to fly in search of prohibited weapons.

Amin added that U.N. weapons inspectors had conducted their first interviews with Iraqi scientists without using audio recordings, and that Baghdad had submitted new names of scientists to be interviewed.

But he said Baghdad believed it "was not necessary" for scientists to be interviewed abroad as demanded by the United Nations which insists experts on banned weapons should be debriefed on neutral ground to avoid government intimidation.

Amin said a technical team from the U.N. Monitoring, Verification and Inspection Commission (UMOVIC) would arrive in Baghdad on March 2 to check sites where biological material was destroyed and buried in 1991.

A South African team of disarmament experts was also due to arrive in Baghdad later on Sunday.

U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan urged Iraq on Sunday to destroy its al-Samoud 2 missiles.

"They have to destroy these weapons...I am confident they will destroy the weapons. If they refuse to destroy them, the (U.N. Security) Council will have to take a decision on that," Annan told reporters after arriving in Turkey for a visit.

"We are studying the letter of (chief weapons inspector) Mr Blix about destroying the missiles in depth and in a serious and comprehensive way," General Husam Mohammad Amin, head of Iraq's weapons monitoring, told a news conference.

"We hope that this issue will be resolved through agreement and cooperation and without interference from the Americans and the British... I believe that we will be able to resolve this issue without any intervention by those with evil intentions," Amin added.

UN chief weapons inspector Hans Blix has ordered Iraq to start destroying its al-Samoud 2 missiles by March 1, saying they exceed UN limits established in 1991.

Baghdad says the missile was designed to stay within the permitted 150-km range.

But Amin refused to answer direct questions on whether Iraq would destroy the missiles.

"I can assert and I say that this missile only constitutes one aspect of our defence capabilities... Destroying these missiles will affect our defence capabilities but would not completely terminate them," he added. The inspectors, who have been in Iraq since November searching for weapons of mass destruction, are expected to present a report on March 7.

Former Russian Prime Minister Yevgeny Primakov was in Baghdad yesterday on a mission for President Vladimir Putin aimed at averting any US attack.

Primakov, a Middle East expert and a long-time friend of Saddam, met senior Iraqi officials before leaving.

Yesterday's test-firing of a rocket engine in front of the UN experts happened at the Falluja site 70 kms west of Baghdad.

"This is the fifth time that the arms inspectors see such a test," Colonel Ali Jasim Hussein told Reuters Television.

Amin said UN weapons inspectors had now searched 635 sites and would use a French Mirage warplane in the coming days during their inspections.

Baghdad has also allowed a German drone to fly in search of prohibited weapons.

Amin added that U.N. weapons inspectors had conducted their first interviews with Iraqi scientists without using audio recordings, and that Baghdad had submitted new names of scientists to be interviewed.

But he said Baghdad believed it "was not necessary" for scientists to be interviewed abroad as demanded by the United Nations which insists experts on banned weapons should be debriefed on neutral ground to avoid government intimidation.

Amin said a technical team from the U.N. Monitoring, Verification and Inspection Commission (UMOVIC) would arrive in Baghdad on March 2 to check sites where biological material was destroyed and buried in 1991.

A South African team of disarmament experts was also due to arrive in Baghdad later on Sunday.

U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan urged Iraq on Sunday to destroy its al-Samoud 2 missiles.

"They have to destroy these weapons...I am confident they will destroy the weapons. If they refuse to destroy them, the (U.N. Security) Council will have to take a decision on that," Annan told reporters after arriving in Turkey for a visit.