Evidence of a deep split between the United Nations, America and Britain over the timetable for war against Saddam Hussein emerged yesterday as UN officials made clear that a vital 27 January study by its weapons inspectors was only a ‘progress report’, not a trigger for military action.
The dispute broke out as it emerged last night that documents found by UN inspectors in Iraq were linked to the creation of nuclear bombs. The 3 000 documents dated from the Eighties, found in an Iraqi scientist’s house, detailed techniques to enrich uranium.
However, with Downing Street becoming increasingly bullish that the UN inspection team, under the control of Hans Blix, will find the evidence needed to justify military action, UN officials said there was a danger of some countries ‘misunderstanding’ the situation.
A representative for the weapons inspectors said: ‘There seems to be a misunderstanding. On 27 January Unmovic [the inspection team] and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is required to give an update, not a final report, since it will mark 60 days since the inspections began.’
He made clear that the inspection teams were prepared to continue their work in Iraq for a considerable time after yesterday’s discovery of the papers relating to nuclear arms technology.
Ahead of a visit to Baghdad today, Blix claimed last night claimed Iraq was playing ‘a cat and mouse game’ with the inspectors. He said it was time the Iraqi authorities became more proactive.
‘They should not only open doors but give the evidence we think they have. We haven’t found a gun but a little bit of smoke… We must keep our feet on the ground,’ Blix added. With the tension growing over possible war, Tony Blair has also been warned by senior Cabinet colleagues that a prolonged war in Iraq will lead to growing tensions in Britain between ethnic minority groups and extremists trying to exploit military action to whip up anti-Islamic feeling.
David Blunkett, the Home Secretary, is thought to have told the Prime Minister that ‘inter-communal violence’ could spread if military action is taken and then becomes bogged down. America is becoming increasingly frustrated at signals that the UN inspections could go on indefinitely, with Unmovic now preparing for reports up until the end of March.
US officials have made it clear that they will try to foil further reports and say that an accumulation of evidence of military activity in Iraq will be enough for Saddam to be in material breach of the orders to Saddam to disarm.
Downing Street figures said that a second UN resolution on military action was ‘not a necessity’ and that, if the breach was clear enough, military action could be taken without further reference to the UN.
UN inspectors went to the Baghdad home of physicist Faleh Hassan last Thursday and removed a number of documents, which the scientist said were from his private research and from doctoral theses of his students.
Blix, who arrived at the Cyprus headquarters of the inspection team last night, said he would impress on Iraqi officials the ‘seriousness’ of failing to co-operate with his inspectors.
‘There has been access everywhere. That is fine. But on substance there has not been sufficient co-operation.’
Asked how much time the UN weapons inspectors needed to complete their job, Blix said: ‘If we have sincere and full co-operation, then it could be fast. ‘The world would like to be assured that Iraq is rid of weapons of mass destruction and, until we have been convinced of that, we cannot send a report to the Security Council.’
• An Iraqi scientist launched a furious attack yesterday on what he called the ‘mafia-like’ UN arms inspectors, accusing them of trying to lure him out of the country with emotional blackmail, writes Tracy McVeigh.
Physicist Faleh Hassan accused one female inspector of using the bribe of a promise of medical treatment for his sick wife in an attempt to have him leave to be interrogated abroad about Baghdad’s nuclear programmes.
‘Never, never will I leave my country,’ he said.
Hassan was one of two scientists whose homes were visited last Thursday by UN inspectors, paying their first unannounced calls on private homes. The Americans have been increasing the pressure on the UN teams to attempt to take scientists out of Iraq for questioning.
Hassan (55) spent the night with inspectors at a Baghdad hotel. Just hours before, He had taken the UN experts to a field outside the capital, where they inspected together what seemed to be a man-made mound.
It was during that trip Hassan claims he was offered medical treatment for his wife, who suffers from kidney stones, diabetes and high blood pressure. Hassan said he immediately refused the offer. ‘This is mafia-like behaviour,’ he said. – Guardian Unlimited Â