Path: bloom-picayune.mit.edu!snorkelwacker.mit.edu!americast.com!americast.com!americast-post Newsgroups: americast.twt.news From: americast-post@AmeriCast.Com Organization: American Cybercasting Approved: americast-post@AmeriCast.com Subject: New U.N. team heads for Iraq Date: Sun, 8 Nov 92 15:50:37 EST Message-ID: \SE A;WORLD \SS (WS) \HD New U.N. team heads for Iraq \BY ASSOCIATED PRESS \DT MANAMA, Bahrain MANAMA, Bahrain (AP) - A new team of U.N. weapons inspectors is traveling to Iraq in hopes of finding the long-elusive list of foreign suppliers who helped Saddam Hussein build his nuclear weapons program. The 32-member team, headed by Dimitri Perricos of Greece, gathered in Bahrain yesterday and was to depart today. Mr. Perricos said a list of suppliers would complete the picture of Iraq's nuclear weapons program and provide a basis for long-term monitoring. Numerous inspection teams have traveled to Iraq to dismantle Baghdad's weapons of mass destruction under the terms of the Gulf War cease-fire. But the United Nations, which sponsored the cease-fire, says Iraq has repeatedly tried to hide weapons, documents and other materials. Iraq has refused to disclose its suppliers, saying the information is confidential. Mr. Perricos has led eight of the 15 inspection teams that have been to Iraq since the cease-fire last year. Ambassador Rolf Ekeus, the chairman of the U.N. commission monitoring Iraq's compliance, said in New York last week that he could not recommend lifting trade sanctions until Baghdad has provided full details of its foreign suppliers. The United Nations imposed the sanctions after Iraq invaded Kuwait in August 1990. "I find it amazing that a state says how much it is suffering, its children and population suffering from the sanctions, and at the same time considers it immoral to provide the procurement data," said Mr. Perricos. "That is inconsistent. I cannot understand it." His team includes American, Russian, British, German and other experts. Their mission is expected to last 10 days. Some of the inspectors will test rivers, lakes and canals all the way to the borders with Turkey, Iran and Syria for irradiation in the water that could point to secret nuclear operations, Mr. Perricos said. Others will conduct surprise inspections of 24 to 27 sites across the country. This article is copyright 1992 The Washington Times. Redistribution to other sites is not permitted except by arrangement with American Cybercasting Corporation. For more information, send-email to usa@AmeriCast.COM