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Blix: Iraq to destroy missiles
BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- Iraq is expected to begin the process of destroying its Al Samoud 2 missiles on Saturday, as demanded, U.N. chief weapons inspector Hans Blix said. Iraq agreed to destroy the missiles in a letter Baghdad sent to U.N. weapons inspectors Thursday, but said it does not know how to destroy the weapons and wanted a U.N. technical mission to discuss the details. Speaking to reporters Friday, Blix said the letter "informed us that Iraq had in principle accepted our request for the destruction of the missiles to commence" Saturday. Iraqi sources said the destruction could begin on that day. Iraqi and U.N. officials are expected to hold technical talks Saturday on the destruction of the missiles, U.N. officials said. Blix said his deputy, Demetrius Perricos, is in Baghdad and will discuss with the Iraqis the "program for the destruction." Saturday was the deadline set by Blix for the destruction to begin. "There are very many of these missiles and a lot of items that pertain to them, which we had enumerated in our letter," Blix said. "It is a very significant piece of real disarmament." U.N. experts say the missiles have a range beyond the 150 kilometers (93 miles) allowed under U.N. resolutions. In a letter last week, Blix ordered Baghdad to begin destroying the missiles by March 1 under the supervision of weapons inspectors. Baghdad, in its letter, called Blix's order "unjust" and "abusive." Despite the protests, informed Iraqi sources said the destruction could begin Saturday. A U.N. official said any technical mission on how to destroy the missiles would involve how the destruction would be verified. U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell said the missile issue shows Iraq is "trying to use process as an excuse for not cooperating." "They were told to destroy them some days ago, and they've been stringing it out," he said. The leaders of Britain and Spain dismissed Iraq's announcement that it will destroy the missiles as "games" and "not enough." (Full story) "This is not a time for games," UK Prime Minister Tony Blair told a news conference in Madrid on Friday after talks with Spanish Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar. Aznar agreed with Blair, saying: "This is a very cruel game of Saddam's. He's playing with people's desire for peace." However, French Foreign Minister Dominique de Villepin said Iraq's pledge was an important step in the country's disarmament and showed that U.N. weapons inspections were generating results. "It's an important step in the disarmament of Iraq. It confirms that the inspections give results," he said. (Full story)
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