Iraq offer on UN inspectors

BAGHDAD (AFP) - Iraq refused again yesterday to let a team of UN weapons inspectors search the Agriculture Ministry but said it would allow in 'impartial' experts. Tariq Aziz, the Deputy Prime Minister, told Rolf Ekeus, head of the UN committee to eliminate Iraqi weapons of mass destruction, that Iraq would allow 'experts from impartial countries' to enter the ministry.

The inspectors were beginning the third week of a vigil outside the ministry, which they suspect holds details of Iraq's ballistics missile programme.