U.N. Experts Destroying Weapons Stocks

BAGHDAD â€”  U.N. experts searching Iraq for banned weapons drove to a military site Wednesday to begin destroying mustard gas and artillery shells found by another group of inspectors more than four years ago.

The U.N. team traveled to Al Mutanna, 90 miles north of Baghdad, a day after a U.N. spokesman said experts would begin destroying 10 artillery shells and four containers of mustard gas.

The process is to take four to five days, he said. The shells and mustard gas were to be destroyed in 1998, but the previous team of weapons inspectors left before the task was completed. Inspections resumed in November.

Another group of chemical experts inspected Al Qadissiya and Al Mahmoudiyah water treatment plants. In addition, a missile team inspected a firm that produces missile seals and gaskets.

Meanwhile, U.N. nuclear experts conducted a private interview with a scientist linked to Iraq’s former nuclear weapons program and also talked with a senior Iraqi diplomat. They were not identified.

The Iraqi Foreign Ministry said the diplomat was a retired ambassador who was questioned about U.S. allegations that Iraq imported uranium from the African nation of Niger after 1998.

The interviews came as the Iraqi government was preparing to outlaw chemical, biological and nuclear weapons through national legislation that was demanded years ago under U.N. resolutions.