IRAQ: The UN confirmed that Iraq destroyed nine banned surface-to-surface missiles yesterday, bringing to 28 the number of rockets scrapped under the supervision of weapons inspectors.
A spokesman in Baghdad said the United Nations Monitoring, Verification and Inspection Commission (UNMOVIC) had witnessed the destruction of nine more al-Samoud 2 missiles, whose range exceeds the 150 km limit allowed by UN resolutions.
"Another missile team observed the concrete casing of the two destroyed casting chambers," Mr Hiro Ueki said in a statement.
Mr Ueki said UNMOVIC experts had also conducted a private interview with an Iraqi scientist.
Arms experts have asked Iraqi scientists to be interviewed about weapons programmes in private, in the hope that this will protect them from reprisals. - (Reuters)