The Iraq Inspection Could Not Be Concluded and Extended to March

The UN Weapons Inspectors, who had inspected the suspicion of development and possession of the Weapons of Massive Destruction (WMD) by Iraq, reported the result of their 2-month long inspection to the UN Security Council on the afternoon of the 27th (morning of the 28th in Korean local time).

It was known that the Inspectors asked to extend the inspection time saying both the `smoking gun` that Iraq possessed WMD and the clear evidence to prove otherwise not were not revealed.

The foreign media reported that the Security Council would decide whether Iraq `seriously violated` the Security Council Resolution No. 1441 of last November based on the report of the Inspectors; however, it did not make a clear decision, yet, and there was a fat chance that it would extend the inspection time.

In relation to this, the German daily newspaper Die Welt quoted a British news source and reported that the USA and the UK would extend the due date of the submission of the final report of the Inspectors until March 1.

Prior to the report to the UN, the Head of Inspectors Hans Blicks explained that △there was almost no new content in the WMD actual condition report submitted by Iraq, and △The whereabouts of WMD related equipment and resources, which was seized until the UN inspection had been suspended in 1998, so it was not sufficient enough to judge that the cooperation of Iraq was totally adapted to the UN Resolution.

The Washington Post quoted a UN official and reported that in spite of that, the report would be short to satisfy the assertion of the USA saying, “Iraq violated her obligation to disarm.”

Prior to this, the US Secretary of State Collin Powell declared the US policy of sole military action on the 26th and said, “Time is running out, but we will not hastily decide tomorrow or the day after tomorrow.”

The British Prime Minister Toni Blair also proposed to give more time to the Inspectors to judge whether Iraq would cooperate or not.

sechepa@donga.com