(Washington Post) UN and U.S. officials said Thursday that weapons inspectors have not been able to question any Iraqi scientists in private. Inspection leaders believe Iraq may be dissuading scientists from agreeing to confidential interviews despite its public promise to the contrary last Monday. Iraq's chief liaison with the inspectors, Gen. Hossam Mohammed Amin, said his government "did our best to push the scientists" to agree to private interviews, but that all have insisted that government officials be present. The inspectors regard their inability to conduct the interviews as "a clear sign of noncooperation" that almost certainly will feature prominently in a report that chief weapons inspector Hans Blix is scheduled to present to the Security Council on Monday.
2003-01-24 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive