Iraq will agree to the return of UN arms inspectors provided they are accompanied by "neutral observers" including British religious leaders, union officials and the media, senior diplomatic sources said, The Independent reported Friday.
According to this report, Baghdad is sending a letter to the UN secretary general, Kofi Annan, which is likely to demand that any observers ensure the inspections are not spying missions and that "doctored findings of weapons of mass destruction" are not used to justify a US attack, the sources said. Additionally, Iraq will insist that a large proportion of the delegation comes from Europe, and that the UN does not let the Bush administration veto its composition.
The conditions will be seen as an effort to split the Western allies, the British newspaper said. Baghdad believes public opinion in Europe is now solidly against military action. But sources close to Annan reacted warily to the offer, projecting it would not sit well with some on the Security Council. Diplomats also warned that no official word had come from Iraq.
On Thursday, a senior Iraqi official said that Baghdad was ready to discuss the return of U.N. arms inspectors provided the talks are not preceded by any conditions. Vice President Taha Yassin Ramadan told Abu Dhabi Television in an interview Iraq was "open for dialogue" with the United Nations. But he also said Baghdad was preparing for the "worst" in case Washington decided to attack.
"We do not believe dialogue...with the (U.N.) secretariat is over," he said. "We believe dialogue without preset decisions and intentions is the correct and only way to solve any problem. "Another date for the next round has not been set due to U.S. pressure but we say that this dialogue is still standing and necessary," he added. (Albawaba.com)
