06 February 2002

Annan Willing to Talk with Iraq on Weapons Inspectors

(Spokesman says secretary general wants "focused" talks)

By Judy Aita Washington File United Nations Correspondent

United Nations -- Secretary General Kofi Annan is willing to resume a dialogue with Iraq regarding compliance with U.N. resolutions, a U.N. spokesman said February 5.

Arab League Secretary General Amre Mousa met with the secretary general February 4 at U.N. headquarters after a visit to Baghdad. Mousa brought a message from Iraqi President Saddam Hussein saying that the Iraqis were prepared to resume dialogue with the secretary general without any preconditions, the U.N. spokesman Fred Eckhard said.

"The secretary general indicated that he was prepared to receive a delegation from Iraq to discuss implementation of relevant Security Council resolutions. He will check his calendar to find a mutually convenient date," Eckhard said.

The secretary general, he added, "is always willing to talk with any member state regarding compliance with U.N. resolutions."

The general subject for such a meeting would be Iraq-U.N. relations, with the key matter being the return of U.N. weapon inspectors to Iraq, the spokesman said.

Asked about the duration of such talks, Eckhard said that the length could not be predicted.

"The secretary-general's preference would be for the talks to be more focused than they were during the previous year, so that they can focus on specific issues, notably the return of the U.N. inspectors," he said.

In 1998, Iraq expelled U.N. inspectors investigating Iraq's compliance with U.N. resolutions banning Iraq's development and possession of weapons of mass destruction and means to deliver them.

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