Many Holes in Iraqi Arms Declaration but No "Smoking Gun,' U.N. Inspectors Say
9 January – The top United Nations weapons inspectors today said there were still many unanswered questions in Iraq's arms declaration although investigations on the ground so far have not uncovered any "smoking guns."
Speaking to reporters after briefing the Security Council, Hans Blix, Executive Chairman of the U.N. Monitoring, Verification and Inspection Commission (UNMOVIC), said that he told the 15-nation body that U.N. investigators were getting prompt access from the Iraqi side and that the inspections were covering "ever-wider areas and ever-more sites."
"In the course of these inspections we have not found any smoking gun," Mr. Blix said. "However we are getting more and more information, better knowledge about the situation. [But] the declaration, regrettably, has not helped very much to clarify any question marks of the past."
Mohamed ElBaradei, Director-General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), echoed the comments of Mr. Blix, saying that his inspectors were "inching forward" with implementation of their tasks and gaining access to all the sites.
9 January – The top United Nations weapons inspectors today said there were still many unanswered questions in Iraq's arms declaration although investigations on the ground so far have not uncovered any "smoking guns."
Speaking to reporters after briefing the Security Council, Hans Blix, Executive Chairman of the U.N. Monitoring, Verification and Inspection Commission (UNMOVIC), said that he told the 15-nation body that U.N. investigators were getting prompt access from the Iraqi side and that the inspections were covering "ever-wider areas and ever-more sites."
"In the course of these inspections we have not found any smoking gun," Mr. Blix said. "However we are getting more and more information, better knowledge about the situation. [But] the declaration, regrettably, has not helped very much to clarify any question marks of the past."
Mohamed ElBaradei, Director-General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), echoed the comments of Mr. Blix, saying that his inspectors were "inching forward" with implementation of their tasks and gaining access to all the sites.