The original Blix report (Don't beLIEve, decide yourself)

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Klaus

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SECURITY COUNCIL 7 MARCH 2003



Oral introduction of the 12th quarterly report of UNMOVIC


Executive Chairman Dr. Hans Blix









Mr. President,





For nearly three years, I have been coming to the Security Council presenting the quarterly reports of UNMOVIC. They have described our many preparations for the resumption of inspections in Iraq. The 12th quarterly report is the first that describes three months of inspections. They come after four years without inspections. The report was finalized ten days ago and a number of relevant events have taken place since then. Today’s statement will supplement the circulated report on these points to bring the Council up-to-date.


Inspection process



Inspections in Iraq resumed on 27 November 2002. In matters relating to process, notably prompt access to sites, we have faced relatively few difficulties and certainly much less than those that were faced by UNSCOM in the period 1991 to 1998. This may well be due to the strong outside pressure.



Some practical matters, which were not settled by the talks, Dr. ElBaradei and I had with the Iraqi side in Vienna prior to inspections or in resolution 1441 (2002), have been resolved at meetings, which we have had in Baghdad. Initial difficulties raised by the Iraqi side about helicopters and aerial surveillance planes operating in the no-fly zones were overcome. This is not to say that the operation of inspections is free from frictions, but at this juncture we are able to perform professional no-notice inspections all over Iraq and to increase aerial surveillance.







American U-2 and French Mirage surveillance aircraft already give us valuable imagery, supplementing satellite pictures and we would expect soon to be able to add night vision capability through an aircraft offered to us by the Russian Federation. We also expect to add low-level, close area surveillance through drones provided by Germany. We are grateful not only to the countries, which place these valuable tools at our disposal, but also to the States, most recently Cyprus, which has agreed to the stationing of aircraft on their territory.




Documents and interviews



Iraq, with a highly developed administrative system, should be able to provide more documentary evidence about its proscribed weapons programmes. Only a few new such documents have come to light so far and been handed over since we began inspections. It was a disappointment that Iraq’s Declaration of 7 December did not bring new documentary evidence. I hope that efforts in this respect, including the appointment of a governmental commission, will give significant results. When proscribed items are deemed unaccounted for it is above all credible accounts that is needed – or the proscribed items, if they exist.



Where authentic documents do not become available, interviews with persons, who may have relevant knowledge and experience, may be another way of obtaining evidence. UNMOVIC has names of such persons in its records and they are among the people whom we seek to interview. In the last month, Iraq has provided us with the names of many persons, who may be relevant sources of information, in particular, persons who took part in various phases of the unilateral destruction of biological and chemical weapons, and proscribed missiles in 1991. The provision of names prompts two reflections:



The first is that with such detailed information existing regarding those who took part in the unilateral destruction, surely there must also remain records regarding the quantities and other data concerning the various items destroyed.





The second reflection is that with relevant witnesses available it becomes even more important to be able to conduct interviews in modes and locations, which allow us to be confident that the testimony is given without outside influence. While the Iraqi side seems to have encouraged interviewees not to request the presence of Iraqi officials (so-called minders) or the taping of the interviews, conditions ensuring the absence of undue influences are difficult to attain inside Iraq. Interviews outside the country might provide such assurance. It is our intention to request such interviews shortly. Nevertheless, despite remaining shortcomings, interviews are useful. Since we started requesting interviews, 38 individuals were asked for private interviews, of which 10 accepted under our terms, 7 of these during the last week.





As I noted on 14 February, intelligence authorities have claimed that weapons of mass destruction are moved around Iraq by trucks and, in particular, that there are mobile production units for biological weapons. The Iraqi side states that such activities do not exist. Several inspections have taken place at declared and undeclared sites in relation to mobile production facilities. Food testing mobile laboratories and mobile workshops have been seen, as well as large containers with seed processing equipment. No evidence of proscribed activities have so far been found. Iraq is expected to assist in the development of credible ways to conduct random checks of ground transportation.



Inspectors are also engaged in examining Iraq’s programme for Remotely Piloted Vehicles (RPVs). A number of sites have been inspected with data being collected to assess the range and other capabilities of the various models found. Inspections are continuing in this area.



There have been reports, denied from the Iraqi side, that proscribed activities are conducted underground. Iraq should provide information on any underground structure suitable for the production or storage of WMD. During inspections of declared or undeclared facilities, inspection teams have examined building structures for any possible underground facilities. In addition, ground penetrating radar equipment was used in several specific locations. No underground facilities for chemical or biological production or storage were found so far.



I should add that, both for the monitoring of ground transportation and for the inspection of underground facilities, we would need to increase our staff in Iraq. I am not talking about a doubling of the staff. I would rather have twice the amount of high quality information about sites to inspect than twice the number of expert inspectors to send.





Recent developments



On 14 February, I reported to the Council that the Iraqi side had become more active in taking and proposing steps, which potentially might shed new light on unresolved disarmament issues. Even a week ago, when the current quarterly report was finalized, there was still relatively little tangible progress to note. Hence, the cautious formulations in the report before you.



As of today, there is more. While during our meetings in Baghdad, the Iraqi side tried to persuade us that the Al Samoud 2 missiles they have declared fall within the permissible range set by the Security Council, the calculations of an international panel of experts led us to the opposite conclusion. Iraq has since accepted that these missiles and associated items be destroyed and has started the process of destruction under our supervision. The destruction undertaken constitutes a substantial measure of disarmament – indeed, the first since the middle of the 1990s. We are not watching the breaking of toothpicks. Lethal weapons are being destroyed. However, I must add that no destruction has happened today. I hope it’s a temporary break.



To date, 34 Al Samoud 2 missiles, including 4 training missiles, 2 combat warheads, 1 launcher and 5 engines have been destroyed under UNMOVIC supervision. Work is continuing to identify and inventory the parts and equipment associated with the Al Samoud 2 programme.



Two ‘reconstituted’ casting chambers used in the production of solid propellant missiles have been destroyed and the remnants melted or encased in concrete.



The legality of the Al Fatah missile is still under review, pending further investigation and measurement of various parameters of that missile.



More papers on anthrax, VX and missiles have recently been provided. Many have been found to restate what Iraq had already declared, some will require further study and discussion.



There is a significant Iraqi effort underway to clarify a major source of uncertainty as to the quantities of biological and chemical weapons, which were unilaterally destroyed in 1991. A part of this effort concerns a disposal site, which was deemed too dangerous for full investigation in the past. It is now being re-excavated. To date, Iraq has unearthed eight complete bombs comprising two liquid-filled intact R-400 bombs and six other complete bombs. Bomb fragments were also found. Samples have been taken. The investigation of the destruction site could, in the best case, allow the determination of the number of bombs destroyed at that site. It should be followed by a serious and credible effort to determine the separate issue of how many R-400 type bombs were produced. In this, as in other matters, inspection work is moving on and may yield results.



Iraq proposed an investigation using advanced technology to quantify the amount of unilaterally destroyed anthrax dumped at a site. However, even if the use of advanced technology could quantify the amount of anthrax, said to be dumped at the site, the results would still be open to interpretation. Defining the quantity of anthrax destroyed must, of course, be followed by efforts to establish what quantity was actually produced.



With respect to VX, Iraq has recently suggested a similar method to quantify a VX precursor stated to have been unilaterally destroyed in the summer of 1991.



Iraq has also recently informed us that, following the adoption of the presidential decree prohibiting private individuals and mixed companies from engaging in work related to WMD, further legislation on the subject is to be enacted. This appears to be in response to a letter from UNMOVIC requesting clarification of the issue.



What are we to make of these activities? One can hardly avoid the impression that, after a period of somewhat reluctant cooperation, there has been an acceleration of initiatives from the Iraqi side since the end of January.



This is welcome, but the value of these measures must be soberly judged by how many question marks they actually succeed in straightening out. This is not yet clear.



Against this background, the question is now asked whether Iraq has cooperated “immediately, unconditionally and actively” with UNMOVIC, as required under paragraph 9 of resolution 1441 (2002). The answers can be seen from the factual descriptions I have provided. However, if more direct answers are desired, I would say the following:



The Iraqi side has tried on occasion to attach conditions, as it did regarding helicopters and U-2 planes. Iraq has not, however, so far persisted in these or other conditions for the exercise of any of our inspection rights. If it did, we would report it.



It is obvious that, while the numerous initiatives, which are now taken by the Iraqi side with a view to resolving some long-standing open disarmament issues, can be seen as “active”, or even “proactive”, these initiatives 3-4 months into the new resolution cannot be said to constitute “immediate” cooperation. Nor do they necessarily cover all areas of relevance. They are nevertheless welcome and UNMOVIC is responding to them in the hope of solving presently unresolved disarmament issues.





Mr. President,



Members of the Council may relate most of what I have said to resolution 1441 (2002), but UNMOVIC is performing work under several resolutions of the Security Council. The quarterly report before you is submitted in accordance with resolution 1284 (1999), which not only created UNMOVIC but also continues to guide much of our work. Under the time lines set by the resolution, the results of some of this work is to be reported to the Council before the end of this month. Let me be more specific.



Resolution 1284 (1999) instructs UNMOVIC to “address unresolved disarmament issues” and to identify “key remaining disarmament tasks” and the latter are to be submitted for approval by the Council in the context of a work programme. UNMOVIC will be ready to submit a draft work programme this month as required.



UNSCOM and the Amorim Panel did valuable work to identify the disarmament issues, which were still open at the end of 1998. UNMOVIC has used this material as starting points but analysed the data behind it and data and documents post 1998 up to the present time to compile its own list of “unresolved disarmament issues” or, rather, clustered issues. It is the answers to these issues which we seek through our inspection activities.



It is from the list of these clustered issues that UNMOVIC will identify the “key remaining disarmament tasks”. As noted in the report before you, this list of clustered issues is ready.



UNMOVIC is only required to submit the work programme with the “key remaining disarmament tasks” to the Council. As I understand that several Council members are interested in the working document with the complete clusters of disarmament issues, we have declassified it and are ready to make it available to members of the Council on request. In this working document, which may still be adjusted in the light of new information, members will get a more up-to-date review of the outstanding issues than in the documents of 1999, which members usually refer to. Each cluster in the working document ends with a number of points indicating what Iraq could do to solve the issue. Hence, Iraq’s cooperation could be measured against the successful resolution of issues.



I should note that the working document contains much information and discussion about the issues which existed at the end of 1998 – including information which has come to light after 1998. It contains much less information and discussion about the period after 1998, primarily because of paucity of information. Nevertheless, intelligence agencies have expressed the view that proscribed programmes have continued or restarted in this period. It is further contended that proscribed programmes and items are located in underground facilities, as I mentioned, and that proscribed items are being moved around Iraq. The working document contains some suggestions on how these concerns may be tackled.



Mr. President,



Let me conclude by telling you that UNMOVIC is currently drafting the work programme, which resolution 1284 (1999) requires us to submit this month. It will obviously contain our proposed list of key remaining disarmament tasks; it will describe the reinforced system of ongoing monitoring and verification that the Council has asked us to implement; it will also describe the various subsystems which constitute the programme, e.g. for aerial surveillance, for information from governments and suppliers, for sampling, for the checking of road traffic, etc.



How much time would it take to resolve the key remaining disarmament tasks? While cooperation can and is to be immediate, disarmament and at any rate the verification of it cannot be instant. Even with a proactive Iraqi attitude, induced by continued outside pressure, it would still take some time to verify sites and items, analyse documents, interview relevant persons, and draw conclusions. It would not take years, nor weeks, but months. Neither governments nor inspectors would want disarmament inspection to go on forever. However, it must be remembered that in accordance with the governing resolutions, a sustained inspection and monitoring system is to remain in place after verified disarmament to give confidence and to strike an alarm, if signs were seen of the revival of any proscribed weapons programmes.
 
Thank you for proving my countries point. He left out the drones that were found. He left out that 17 times they have caught the Iraqi's in lies. He left out that 30 times Iraq has failed to provide documentation to back up it's claims.

Also, the illegal weapons parts that have been shipped in through French companies and possibly German companies.

Inspections are working though. WIthout the US build-up, they would probably have given a clean bill of health by last Christmas.
 
6th Paragraph under the "Documents & Interviews" Heading reads


Inspectors are also engaged in examining Iraq?s programme for Remotely Piloted Vehicles (RPVs). A number of sites have been inspected with data being collected to assess the range and other capabilities of the various models found. Inspections are continuing in this area.


The article you posted in that other thread referred to the drones as RPV's, I'm assuming these are the same things.

I have to confess, that article you posted has been the only one I've seen that has hinted at things being "buried" in reports or that has questioned the objectivity of Dr Blix. If you've come across any other news reports, please could you post the links.

I agree tho, the inspections do seem to be producing results (with external pressure of course) and at the moment, I think the inspectors should be allowed to continue with their work.

I don't believe for a second that Iraq has completely disarmed or that its not playing ppl for fools, but I'm also finding it increasingly difficult to believe that the Bush Administration (Inc. Blair :)) is not playing ppl for fools either.
 
If you return to the other thread...I have linked numerous articles that have picked up on this omission on the part of Blix in his main presentation. Very clearly the article references the Appendix to the report.

Klaus...any chance you have the link to the site you got this from?

Thanks,

Matt
 
Here is the latest article on the omission:

March 10, 2003

Blix 'hid smoking gun' from Britain and US
From James Bone in New York



BRITAIN and the United States will today press the chief UN weapons inspector to admit that he has found a ?smoking gun? in Iraq. Such an admission could persuade swing voters on the Security Council to back the March 17 ultimatum.
The British and US ambassadors plan to demand that Hans Blix reveals more details of a huge undeclared Iraqi unmanned aircraft, the discovery of which he failed to mention in his oral report to Security Council foreign ministers on Friday. Its existence was only disclosed in a declassified 173-page document circulated by the inspectors at the end of the meeting ? an apparent attempt by Dr Blix to hide the revelation to avoid triggering a war.

The discovery of the drone, which has a wingspan of 7.45 metres, will make it much easier for waverers on the Security Council to accept US and British arguments that Iraq has failed to meet UN demands that it disarm.

?It?s incredible,? a senior diplomat from a swing voter on the council said. ?This report is going to have a clearly defined impact on the people who are wavering. It?s a biggie.?

An explicit report by Dr Blix of the discovery of an Iraqi violation would help the six swing voters ? Angola, Cameroon, Chile, Guinea, Mexico and Pakistan ? to explain a change of position to their publics.

Unlike the outlawed Al-Samoud 2 missile, which was declared as a purportedly legal weapon, the drone was not declared. It would be the first undeclared weapons programme found by the UN and is considered by British and US officials to be a ?smoking gun?.
 
Dreadsox: well - when i read the BBC article i don't come to your conclusion. I just see that all parties are playing really dirty and Blix isn't biased, he's just doing his job.

It's right, without the presure Blix couldn't work. Presure is needed to get someone like S.Hussein to accept the UN. But well if the UN really starts to dissarm and then the US attacks without UN approval the US puts maximum damage to the UN from my point of view.

Klaus
 
Leaving out the Chemical Weapons and a Drone which violates prior resolutions is not presenting the facts!!!!!!

What other way is there to see it? His job is to report to the UN what they find! When he does not do this, and leaves out things, he is misleading the council and the world.
 
Dreadsox:

there was a) the paperreport
and b) the oral report

and (b) was much smaller than (a) so he had to decide which was important enough and what not.

Everybody knows about the chemical weapons allready, the western world sold it - that's the reason why we know that saddam is lying, we sold more than he destroyed yet.

Klaus
 
Klaus said:
there was a) the paperreport
and b) the oral report

and (b) was much smaller than (a) so he had to decide which was important enough and what not.

so chemical weapons and the drones weren't important?!
 
Screaming Flower:

They are not new - everybody knows - it's like the introducion "Saddam Hussein is a Dictator" So what - everyone knows, it's a waste of time to talk about that.

Blix is talking about NEWS, about changes and about his opinion if it's possible to force Saddam without war to respect the UN resolutions.

Klaus
 
blix's job is to present the facts. the existence of the drone is a fact. and the existence of a drone is in direct opposition to un resolutions. i certainly do not believe it's a waste of time to talk about its existence, and i'm guessing neither do a number of other nations.

blix's opinion loses credibility with people if he's only presenting some of the facts.
 
oops....edit


No, his job is to make a presentation with only the facts that lead one to believe Iraq is disarming.
 
I think like UKTan, the drones are mentioned as RPVs
So he did a excelent job!

and it would be helpful if people would listen to him before they judge him

Dreadsox: I don't think so, if it was he would do a horrible job.
He is presenting the facts - he's saying that cooperation is better then before, that's true (not only) because of the high presure of US and GB.

GB would do a great job if their "comporomise" (wait another week or to) would not be just because they need the time to buy some 3rd world countries votes.

Klaus
 
Given all the media about the kinda lobbying and "diplomacy" going on right now...if a second resolution actually gets voted in, do any of u really believe that its because those that voted for it believe its the right thing to do now?

(geniune question, not meant to upset anyone)
 
UKTan said:
Given all the media about the kinda lobbying and "diplomacy" going on right now...if a second resolution actually gets voted in, do any of u really believe that its because those that voted for it believe its the right thing to do now?

Why not? Some may believe that the Bush administration is simply trying to buy the votes, but I believe that the diplomacy involved discusses the issues on levels beyond the scope of the media.
 
I really hope u'r right nb, if the US/UK really do go to war, I would like it to be because they really did have the backing of those who voted, and not because those who voted felt obliged. And that works both ways, I don't want to see any country vote against it unless they feel its right.
 
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