UNMOVIC ACTING EXECUTIVE CHAIRMAN TO DISCUSS WORK OF INTERNATIONAL INSPECTORS IN MOSCOW

MOSCOW, FEBRUARY 3, 2004. (RIA NOVOSTI). Acting Executive Chairman of the United Nations Monitoring, Verification and Inspection commission Demetrius Perricos will meet with Russian deputy foreign minister Yuri Fedotov on Tuesday in Moscow.

The sides are expected to discuss the resumption of the work of international inspectors in Iraq, prospects for the UN Security Council's consideration of the UNMOVIC mandate in Iraq in compliance with its resolution No. 1483.

Earlier, the Russian foreign ministry stressed that the UN Security Council should again consider the mandates of UNMOVIC and IAEA in Iraq and adopt corresponding decisions on the basis of their reports.

Russian foreign minister Igor Ivanov pointed out that only international inspectors can give a final conclusion whether Iraq has or does not have mass destruction weapons.

International inspectors declare that they are ready to resume inspections in Iraq as soon as possible if the UN Security Council makes a corresponding decision.