THE US/IRAQ: American and UN diplomats have reached a preliminary conclusion that Iraq's declaration of its weapons programme has failed to account for all of its chemical and biological agents, US officials and UN diplomats said yesterday.
The sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said an early review of the 12,000-page declaration indicated that the document appeared to fall short of what was required under a UN resolution, which demanded Iraq disarm or face severe consequences.
In addition to failing to account for chemical and biological agents missing when UN inspectors left Iraq in 1998, the document also failed to answer why Iraq has sought nuclear materials and technology in recent years, the sources said.
They cited Iraq's failure to explain what happened to 550 shells filled with mustard gas, and another 150 bombs filled with biological agents, that the UN could not account for in the late 1990s.
"There doesn't seem to be an awful lot in there that's new. And a hell of a lot of it seems much the same in a 1996 declaration when Iraq gave a full declaration," said a UN diplomat.
The US, which is seeking to topple the regime of Iraqi President Saddam Hussein, could try to use any perceived violation of the Security Council resolution, such as an incomplete weapons declaration, as a justification for war.
Washington insists Baghdad has continued to pursue weapons of mass destruction, but Iraq denies this.
The UN chief weapons inspector, Mr Hans Blix, is scheduled to give the Security Council his preliminary analysis on Thursday and is expected to say there were still discrepancies as well as unanswered questions. He may go back to Iraq and ask officials there to respond.
He may also begin interviews with Iraqi scientists and others, but at this point it is doubtful they would be taken out of the country with their families for their protection, despite US insistence, because of difficulties in doing so.
Washington is expected to declare next week that the document constitutes a "material breach" of the UN resolution, but will not use this as an immediate cause for war, diplomats said. Other council members will want to hear from the inspectors before they accept the US analysis, they said.
The Bush administration would not comment on the status of the US and UN review of the arms declaration, which Baghdad turned over to the United Nations last Saturday.
Military preparations continued, however, in case President Bush concludes Baghdad is still resisting attempts to dismantle any banned weapons programs.
The White House spokesman Mr Ari Fleischer declined to give a preliminary review of the Iraqi document.
He said President Bush would have something to say after a "thoughtful, careful review" of the lengthy document is completed.