The chief UN weapons inspector Dr Hans Blix said today that Iraq is showing signs of complying with its obligations to disarm and is co-operating with inspectors in some areas.
However, asked at a news conference to say flatly whether or not Iraq had cooperated "fully" as required by UN Security Council Resolution 1441, he replied: "There are lots of questions in this world to which you should not answer yes or no."
Mr Blix is due to report on Friday to the council, which has begun negotiations on a draft resolution, sponsored by Britain and the United States, to cut short the inspections and disarm Iraq by force.
"In the past month they (the Iraqis) have been proactive," Blixsaid, but he declined to say how long it would take to complete theinspections because "the track record has not been very good" in thepast.
However, US Secretary ofState Colin Powell insisted today that Iraqi President Saddam Hussein hastaken no strategic and political decision to disarm.
"Nothing we have seen since the passage of 1441indicates that Saddam Hussein has taken a strategic and politicaldecision to disarm," Mr Powell said in a speech at the Center forStrategic and International Studies in Washington.
Mr Blix also said he was sceptical of Iraqi claims it had dumped all their biological weapons over a decade ago. Inspectors disagree with Iraqi suggestions to analyse the sand where the weapons were allegedly disposed of.
He also said seven Iraqi scientists have submitted to private interviews under his terms.Previously, scientists had either been questioned in the presence of Iraqi government officials or had tape recorded the interviews.
Mr Blix has asked an unnamed Arab country to host inspectors and potential Iraqi scientists who agree to be interviewed.
He said that Cyprus was also a possible location for conducting interviews and said that several countries had offered asylum for any scientists that want to leave Iraq.
AP/AFP