NICOSIA, February 6: Iraq has agreed in principle to inspection of all its suspect sites, including those it terms "presidential," on condition the UN embargo is lifted one month after the inspections, diplomats in the region said today.Following Russian mediation, Iraq agreed to inspections of its eight most controversial presidential sites but on condition that the inspections are carried out "only once."
These conditions are acceptable to the United States, which demands unconditional and unhampered access for UN disarmament experts to all Iraqi sites.
French Foreign Minister Hubert Vedrine said today that Iraq's offers so far were not enough for Paris.
Iraq referred for the first time to "eight presidential sites" in December during talks with the chairman of the UN special commission on disarming Iraq (UNSCOM) Richard Butler.
The US has spoken of 78 so-called presidential sites, and British Foreign Secretary Robin Cook said today that Baghdad agreed to inspections of 45 of the sites.
"Thenumber of sites called presidential is of little importance because no suspect site will be exempted from inspection," a diplomat said.
According to another diplomat, Baghdad agreed to the inspections of the eight controversial presidential sites that it had discussed with Butler, who is expected to return to Baghdad on March 2.
Meanwhile, Britain, Sweden and Portugal have circulated a resolution among the Security Council members which allows Iraq to more than double the amount of oil it can sell to buy food and humanitarian supplies, even as Baghdad raised some objections to the world body's plans.
The Council is expected to take up the resolution on Monday. The expansion in the "oil for food" deal follows recommendation˙by Secretary General Kofi Annan.
Observers here say quick action on part of Britain, showing its sensitivity to the plight of commin Iraqis, could be aimed at giving an impression of fairness as˙London is also steadfastly backing Washington's aggressive stance vis-a-vis Iraq on theissue of unhindered access for UN arms inspectors to all sites.
The US has said it would support the expanded "oil for food" plan but would ask for more accountability. It has not co-sponsored the resolution and may demand some changes in the language but is unlikely to block it.
Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.
