Nuclear agency continues its search

An edited version of the statement by Mohamed al-Baradei, director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency, to the Council

Since our 27 January report, the IAEA has conducted an additional 38 inspections at 19 locations, for a total of 177 inspections at 125 locations. Iraq has continued to provide immediate access.

We have recently been able to conduct four interviews in private. The interviewees, however, have tape- recorded their interviews.

Iraq has reconfirmed its commitment to encourage its citizens to accept interviews in private, both inside and outside of Iraq. Iraq has expanded the list of relevant personnel to over 300, along with current work locations.

The IAEA is continuing to follow up on acknowledged efforts by Iraq to import high-strength aluminum tubes. As you will know, Iraq has declared these efforts to have been in connection with a programme to reverse engineer conventional rockets. The IAEA has verified that Iraq had indeed been manufacturing such rockets. However, we are still exploring whether the tubes were intended rather for the manufacture of centrifuges for uranium enrichment.

Inspectors found a number of documents relevant to the procurement of carbon fibre, a dual-use material used by Iraq in its past clandestine uranium enrichment programme for the manufacture of gas centrifuge rotors. Our review suggests the carbon fibre sought by Iraq was not intended for enrichment purposes.

We have found no evidence of ongoing prohibited nuclear or nuclear-related activities in Iraq. However, a number of issues are still under investigation.

The IAEA's experience in nuclear verification shows it is possible, particularly with an intrusive verification system, to assess the presence or absence of a nuclear weapons programme in a state even without the co-operation of the state. However, prompt, full and active co-operation by Iraq, under resolution 1441, will speed up the process.