After 11 weeks of inspections, United Nations
monitors have not found any weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, but Baghdad
still needs to show "credible" evidence that such arms do not
exist, a top UN disarmament official told the Security Council today.
In progress report to a ministerial-level
meeting of the Council, Hans Blix, who is in charge of the biological,
chemical and ballistic weapons profile, said that after more than 400 inspections
at over 300 sites around the country, the UN Monitoring, Verification and
Inspection Commission (UNMOVIC) has so far found only a small number of
empty chemical munitions that should have been declared and destroyed.
"Another matter, and one of great significance, is that many proscribed weapons and items are not accounted for," said Mr. Blix, Executive Chairman of UNMOVIC. "One must not jump to the conclusion that they exist; however, that possibility is not excluded. If they exist they should be presented for destruction. If they do not exist, credible evidence to that effect should be presented." (more to follow)