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Blair Talks With BlixFri, January 17, 2003Source: Ananova NewsTony Blair is holding talks with UN chief weapons inspector Hans Blix in the wake of the discovery of a cache of empty chemical warheads in IraqTony Blair is holding talks with UN chief weapons inspector Hans Blix in the wake of the discovery of a cache of empty chemical warheads in Iraq.Mr Blair is eager for Mr Blix, whom he is meeting at his Chequers, to provide further details about Thursday's potentially significant find by inspectors south of Baghdad. UN officials say the warheads - which they described as in "excellent condition" - were not mentioned in Saddam Hussein's supposedly complete December declaration of his weapons of mass destruction programmes. Iraqi officials have dismissed the find as a "storm in a teacup", insisting the warheads were old artillery which was mentioned in its 12,000 page declaration. It will be up to the UN Security Council to determine whether the find amounts to a breach of UN resolutions, potentially bringing military action against Saddam a significant step closer. Mr Blair was informed of the discovery while on a short visit to Scotland, during which he was heckled by peace protesters. Interviewed by BBC Scotland, Mr Blair made it clear he believed that Saddam does have weapons of mass destruction. "We believe he has those weapons - we are sure he has those weapons," he said. "His duty is to say where the weapons are and allow the inspectors to destroy them. If he fails to co-operate in any way at all, then he is in breach of the UN resolution." |
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