Iraq Flag Iraq Special Collection

UNSCOM REPORT ON ITS ACTIVITIES, NOV 17 TO DEC 2

Report on the activities of the Special Commission during the period 17 November to 2 December 1998

I. UNSCOM Inspection Groups' Activities

Monitoring Summary

1. The Special Commission's Monitoring Groups resumed inspections on 18 November 1998. In the period up to 1 December 1998,the Biological, Chemical, Export-Import and Missile Monitoring Groups and Aerial Inspection Team conducted a range of inspections for the purposes of ongoing monitoring and verification. The sites included those containing dual-use items of equipment and materials which are regularly subject to monitoring inspections, as well as sites less frequently visited. A number of technical support missions to maintain the Commission's sensors and cameras were also undertaken.

Other Inspection Activity

Chemical

2. Inspection Team UNSCOM 257 (CW 52) conducted inspections in Iraq from 23-27 November. The inspection was a supplement to the regular monitoring inspections using analytical equipment to assess activities at sites.

Biological

3. Inspection Team UNSCOM 253 (BW 70) arrived in Baghdad on 1 December. The purpose of the inspection was to investigate the research and development undertaken for Iraq's offensive biological warfare programme.

Observations

4. Given below, is an account of relevant incidents during the course of UNSCOM's work:

(a) On 23 November 1998, an Iraqi escort helicopter took off and passed over a UN helicopter at low speed and low altitude, not more than ten metres from the ground. The Iraqi helicopter continued to fly over the area only slightly higher, making two full circles above the UN helicopter on the ground. The threat to the safety of the UN personnel caused by this action was brought to the attention of the NMD. The NMD claimed that the helicopter had landed at an unsafe site and had to move to a safer site;

(b) During an inspection on 26 November 1998, the representatives of the NMD stated that they were not in a position to facilitate access to a site, stating that it belonged to and was under the control of the Iranian Mojahedin. The Executive Chairman decided to withdraw the team pending the resolution of claims regarding the special nature of the site. In subsequent and ongoing discussions with representatives of the Iranian Mojahedin it has been recognized that inspection teams have the right to visit any site in Iraq; and

(c) During the period, an undeclared Class II Biosafety Cabinet and some filter presses were discovered. These items are subject to declarations by Iraq and biological monitoring.

II. Correspondence with Iraq and the Security Council

5. On 17 November, the Executive Chairman addressed a letter to the Deputy Prime Minister of Iraq seeking documents to assist in the accounting for and verifying the status of Iraq's proscribe weapons programmes (S/1998/1106 Annex I). The letter stated that the documents sought fell into two categories. The first category concerned supposed documents which do not exist and the second comprises a repetition of earlier requests in respect of which Iraq had already submitted truthful clarifications which are all that are available.

6.On 18 November, the Executive Chairman addressed a letter to the Deputy Prime Minister, asking that Iraq provide new substantial information on its proscribed biological programme (S/1998/1106/Annex II).

On 19 November, Dr. Al Qaysi responded expressing concern that the Commission's request substantially widened the outstanding work to be done in the biological field and stated that the comprehensive review would determine whether the disarmament phase had been completed or whether steps in the biological files need to be taken to fulfill the requirements of the disarmament phase (S/198/1106 Annex III). On 20 November, the Chairman wrote to the Deputy Prime Minister, asking that Iraq might find it possible to see that a constructive reply to his letter of 18 November be prepared and forwarded to the Commission as soon as possible. No further response has been received.

7. On 19 November, the Executive Chairman wrote to the Deputy Prime Minister seeking explanations and clarifications and other responses it had sought from Iraq on the most important outstanding issues listed in the Schedule for Work dated 14 June 1998 (S/1998/1106 Annex III). Iraq responded on 25 November.

8. On 20 November, the Executive Chairman wrote to the President of the council, forwarding the majority of the correspondence mentioned above, and provided UNSCOM's analyses and commentary on the Iraqi replies (S/1998/1106). The Deputy Prime Minister sent a letter to the President of the Council dated 22 November, stating Iraq's position on the issues raised in the Chairman's letter of 20 November (S/1998/1108).

9. Iraq responded on 25 November to the letter of the Executive Chairman of 19 November, seeking clarifications and explanations on certain oustanding issues (5/1998/1125). Iraq's letter provided little new information, reiterating its previously and known positions. However, Iraq's letter stated that from Iraq's point of view, the "contamination" (of VX) could not but have been the result of' a deliberate act of tampering with the first set of samples taken out from Iraq to the United States on 8 May 1998. Iraq's letter also stated that UNSCOM's request for the removal for analysis of a number of missile engine components produced indigenously was not justified on technical or scientific grounds.

10. On 26 November, Dr. Al-Qaysi informed the Executive: Chairman that Iraq was transmitting to the Commission a report on the analyses of swab samples of special warhead remnants taken by the Iraqi side in July 1998, dated 10 September 1998, comprising 42 pages. The report has not yet been received at UNSCOM headquarters in New York.

11. On 26 November; Dr. Al-Qaysi wrote to the Executive Chairman requesting three specific teams from UNSCOM be tasked with missions concerning the fate of 155 mm shells filled with the chemical weapons mustard; the verification of the tail units of R-400 bombs; and determining the precise locations of pits which had been used for the field storage of special warheads at Fallujah Forest and the Tigris Canal (S/I 998/1 128 Annex I). In response, the Chairman wrote to the Deputy Prime Minister on 27 November, noting with satisfaction that Iraq was ready to cooperate with the Special Commission on several specific issues referred to in the June 1998 Schedule for Work, which the Commission had been ready to undertake at the beginning of August 1998 (S/1998/1127 Annex 1). The Chairman sought some clarifications from the Iraqi side with respect to the first task (155 mm shells filled with mustard) and indicated that the second and third tasks would be carried out as soon as practically possible. The clarifications were received from Iraq on 22 November (S/1998/1128 Annex, III). The mission to determine the fate of the 155 mm shells will proceed when logistically possible.

12. On 27 November the Executive Chairman wrote to the Deputy Prime Minister reiterating the Commission's request that Iraq provide specific documents referred to in the annex to his letter of 17 November, in particular two documents, which according to Iraq's letter of 25 November, existed and had been requested from Iraq by 30 November (S/1 998/1127 Annex II). The first document was the "Air Force document"; the second being an account of the creation and armament of missile Unit 223

13. On 30 November Iraq delivered to the Commission a lengthy document (in Arabic) on missile Unit 223 which is still in translation.

14. On 1 December, Dr. Al~Qaysi wrote to the Executive Chairman in response to his letter of 27 November seeking documents. Dr. Al-Qaysi's letter informed the Chairman that Iraq's position remained the same as that stated in the Deputy Prime Minister's letter of 22 November to the President of the Security Council (S/1998/1108), and repeated verbatim large sections from that letter.

X. UNSCOM REPORT ON ITS ACTIVITIES, DEC 3 TO DEC 9

Report on the activities of the Special Commission during the period 2 to 9 December 1998

UNSCOM Inspection Groups' Activities Monitoring

1. The Special Commission's Monitoring Groups continued their inspection activities from 2 to 9 December 1998. The activities undertaken were essentially similar to those described in the first weekly report of 3 December 1998

Other Inspection Activity

2. Inspection Team UNSCOM 253 (BW 70) concluded its mission in Baghdad on 6 December. The team investigated the research and development undertaken for Iraq1s offensive biological warfare programme.

3. Inspection Team UNSCOM 261 (BW 74) arrived in Baghdad on 3 December. The purpose of the inspection was to supplement the resident Biological Monitoring Group, particularly in respect of activities at sites under monitoring, during the period after 31 October 1998.

4. Inspection Team UNSCOM 260 (BW 73) arrived in Baghdad on 6 December. The purpose of the inspection was to discuss the acquisition and consumption, losses and destruction of the various types of growth media for the BW programme.

5. Inspection Team UNSCOM 259 (BM 70) arrived in Baghdad on 3 December. The purpose of the inspection was to undertake preliminary technical work for enhanced monitoring of missile tests.

6. Inspection Team UNSCOM 258 arrived in Baghdad on 7 December. The inspections it is instructed to conduct are related to Iraqi prohibited weapons programmes.

Observations

7. On 9 December UNSCOM 258's attempts to inspect a site were blocked. This site had been designated on the basis of evidence that it contained materials of significance to UNSCOM's disarmament mandate. Fol1owing extended discussions and appeals, but which failed to produce agreement on access which would permit a credible effective inspection, the Executive Chairman directed that the attempts to inspect the site be abandoned.

8. During a chemical monitoring inspection on 5 December, the National Monitoring Directorate (NMD) representatives placed unacceptable conditions on the photography of bombs, citing national security concerns. No photographs were taken.

9. The first planned inspection by UNSCOM 261 (BW 74) on 4 December was postponed after the NMD imposed conditions on the conduct of the inspection on a Friday.Subsequently, a message was received from the NMD denying that it was placing any conditions on the inspection but nevertheless stating that Iraq would facilitate entry to buildings "during the working days of the week, except Fridays".

10. During the first inspection day of UNSCOM 261 (BW 74), on 5 December, the Iraqi representatives made efforts to prevent videotaping and interrupted and sought to direct site personnel's responses. An attempt (in the end unsuccessful) was made to prevent the team photocopying a set of documents. The Director of the facility stated that no Iraqi personnel were allowed to answer questions regarding the storage location of UNSCOM tagged equipment and stock microrganism that had been moved after the 31 October 1998 decision. He also refused to answer similar questions, stating that the MOU supported his position. Conflicting accounts were given regarding: presence of personnel; the dates items were moved in and out of the facility; who ordered the movement; which items were involved and, whether the items stayed within the perimeter of the facility.

11. During chemical monitoring inspections in the reporting period, undeclared dual use pieces of production equipment, once again, were found.

Reply to Questions

During informal consultations of the Council on 8 December, the Russian Permanent Representative, Ambassador Lavrov, asked a question regarding the inspection of Iranian Mojahedin facilities in Iraq.

The Commission has, on a number of occasions, discussed with Mojhaedin representatives issues relating to UNSCOM's activities in Iraq. Mojahedin facilities, both inside and outside Baghdad have been inspected by UNSCOM teams in the past. The teams have been invited into the camps and other facilities upon arrival. There has been no agreement placing these camps and facilities outside the ambit of UNSCOM's inspections rights. Most recently, the Mojahedin representatives have recognised that no sanctuaries may exist in Iraq, as far as UNSCOM's inspection rights are concerned.

Ambassador Lavrov also asked a more general question regarding UNSCOM's policy in respect of foreign entities in Iraq.

UNSCOM understands the mandate given to it by the council to cover the entire territory of Iraq. Thus, the Commission has undertaken, on several occasions, a number of inspections of facilities under the control of foreign entities operating in Iraq.


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