UN Weapon`s Inspectors Arrived in Iraq Yesterday

To investigate whether Iraq has owned and developed the Weapon of Mass Destruction (WMD), an advance team of UN Weapon`s inspectors arrived in Bagdad, Iraq on November 18.

Including the leader of inspectors Hans Blix and IAEA Director General Mohamed ElBaradei, 25 inspectors will start the investigation from November 27 through preliminary stage.

Entering Iraq is the first time after 4 years since it has withdrawn voluntarily by submitting a report of `We cannot confirm the weapon dismantling of Iraq`.

Before departing from Bagdad, Blix said, “A war and peace depends on Iraq and UN Security Council. We desire Iraq not to hide anything.” Director General Mohamed ElBaradei said, “We will inspect anywhere by any means to validate whether there is no Weapon of Mass Destruction(WMD) in Iraq.”

Besides, at that day, Babil, daily newspaper of Iraq reported, “All nations of Iraq are ready to take the responsible. We desire inspectors to prove whether Iraq has no Weapon of Mass Destruction (WMD).”

However, Iraq Prime Minister Tariq Mikhail AZIZ said in an interview with Independent TV of Britain at the previous day, “We will fully cooperate with inspectors, but we are not sure that we can avoid the war with USA.”

Ki-Tae Kwon kkt@donga.com