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Transparency

empty_war_head.jpgBAGHDAD, Iraq (AP) - Top U.N. officials warned Iraq on Saturday that it is running out of time to cooperate and avoid war, and arms inspectors examined the type of mobile lab the United States says could be used to make biological weapons.

America's top general, meanwhile, said there's still time for Iraq to come clean about its banned weapons programs and avoid an attack. Around the world, thousands of people demonstrated for peace.
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Saddam, meanwhile, said Saturday that any war against the United States would be decided on the ground, but warned army commanders that Iraqi forces could be hurt by Washington's abilities to fight "from afar."

U.N. inspectors have complained that Iraq failed to disclose required details of its weapons programs in a 12,000-page declaration submitted in December. U.S. officials maintain that Iraq's failure to submit a complete report is evidence that Saddam has no intention of complying with orders to disarm.

"Iraq has not cooperated sufficiently with the United Nations weapons inspectors, and we will impress the seriousness of the situation to them," Blix told reporters Saturday in Cyprus. "The world would like to be assured that Iraq is rid of weapons of mass destruction. Until we, the inspectors, have been convinced of that we cannot so report to the Security Council."

U.N. officials have said inspectors have found no conclusive evidence Iraq is holding illegal weapons. However, suspicions were raised by the discovery Thursday of 12 empty warheads adapted for use as chemical weapons and numerous documents found at the home of an Iraqi physicist.

The physicist, Faleh Hassan, said the documents were from his private research projects and students' theses. He accused the inspectors of "Mafia-like" tactics.

However, ElBaradei said the documents appeared to be related to the use of lasers to enrich uranium, possibly for nuclear weapons. ElBaradei said that if the Iraqis had not disclosed information contained in the documents, "it obviously doesn't show the transparency we've been preaching."

Guardian Unlimited | World Latest | U.N. Officials Warn Iraq, Urge Compliance

Excerpt made on Saturday January 18, 2003 at 03:42 PM



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