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Axis of Evil
ElBaradei: Iraq must do more for him to return
2003-01-31
The UN's top nuclear inspector, Mohamed ElBaradei, said Friday Iraq would have to show more commitment to arms inspections for him to return before his next report to the world body in mid-February. "We need to make sure there will be progress when we go there," ElBaradei said, adding that UN inspectors must have the right to meet privately with Iraqi scientists and that inspectors must be able to use surveillance aircraft, including American U2 spy planes.
Well, so much for that meeting
He said Iraq must satisfy the international community both on nuclear inspections and on the chemical, biological and missile inspections overseen by chief UN inspector Hans Blix. "We need to make sure before we go that they are ready to move forward on many of these issues," ElBaradei said. "We are exploring what is the purpose of their invitation. If we go, we would expect concrete results," ElBaradei said.
Sounds like he's finally had enough.
He said the purpose of the inspectors was "to do everything possible to move the file forward and avoid a war."
ElBaradei said he and Blix would be talking to the Iraqi ambassador to the United Nations in New York. "It is important that when we do go, we meet at the highest level of leadership and hear from them a clear commitment that they are ready to be fully transparent," he said. "Private interviews are very important to create confidence," ElBaradei said, adding that this should be no problem if Iraq has nothing to hide.
The problem is that they do have stuff to hide.
He said Iraqi authorities should make clear to scientists that "it is in their own national interest to speak to us directly in private." Iraq announced Thursday it was inviting ElBaradei and Blix to return to Baghdad before February 10 to hold fresh talks on cooperation with the UN mission.
ElBaradei said if he were to return to Iraq, he would like to do so before February 10, four days before the International Atomic Energy Agency inspections team's next report to the UN Security Council.
Wants to get his notes in order
Posted by:Steve

#10  He probably got a clue from Blix and realized he's gotten even less cooperation than the Chem/Bio inspectors.

Fred's right: "Make me want to come back, Sammy!"
Posted by: Ptah   2003-01-31 20:13:20  

#9  What was with the IAEA public "B" grade headline on nuke disarmament? That was played out by the NYT, et al like a proud parent showing off his kid's grades....Seem to have a change in tone now, hmm?
Posted by: Frank G   2003-01-31 16:02:45  

#8  ElBaradei should have been more Blix-like in his report to the security council. Blix laid the smack down.
Posted by: Anonymous   2003-01-31 15:17:31  

#7  Dreadnought - you got it - he doesn't want to be in Iraq when the war starts - Iraq might use some of those WMD they don't have, and he might get hurt.
Posted by: paj   2003-01-31 14:54:27  

#6  ElBaradei's comment "it is in their own national interest to speak to us directly in private." is transparently obtuse (also transparently transparent). It is in the private interest of the scientists not to be tortured, not to have their family tortured, etc. Frankly it is also in the national interest for Iraq to be conquered by the US military as soon as possible.
Posted by: mhw   2003-01-31 12:45:36  

#5  Or is he really saying, "You ain't gonna make a human shield out of me!"
Posted by: Dreadnought   2003-01-31 12:42:48  

#4  I just love that headline: "Make me want to come back, Sammy!"
Posted by: Fred   2003-01-31 12:24:26  

#3  One hopes there has been a bit of thought given to extracting the inspectors before the fun starts. Bug out time nears.
Posted by: Nero   2003-01-31 11:09:09  

#2  Bomb-a-rama --- I wish that the mainstream press would state that purpose. Oh, well. I don't think that ElBaradei and Blix really want to go back to Iraq. Being human shields are not not in their job descriptions.
Posted by: Alaska Paul   2003-01-31 10:56:06  

#1  He said the purpose of the inspectors was "to do everything possible to move the file forward and avoid a war."

Wrong. The purpose of the inspectors is to verify that declared weapons have been destroyed, not to go wandering into the Iraq countryside looking for things that the Iraqi authorities aren't going to let them see, in a vain attempt to prevent an attack.
Posted by: Bomb-a-rama   2003-01-31 10:29:20  

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