Mr Arbatov is an expert on issues of disarmament and the nonproliferation of weapons of mass destruction (WMD). He was engaged in the first inspection effort in Iraq led by Hans Blix, then chief of the United Nations Monitoring, Verification and Inspection Commission (UNMOVIC). He will also take part in a new UNMOVIC effort in Iraq.
He described as absurd the idea to establish a commission that will search for evidence that Iraq deployed WMDs and, thereby, justify the war.
This causes one to seriously doubt how President Bush and his aides work, according to Mr Arbatov.
Moreover, the US should not bring Saddam Hussein to trial as the ex-dictator can tell about America's assistance to Iraq in developing the chemical weapons program in the early 1980s, according to Mr Arbatov.
Demetrius Perricos, UNMOVIC Acting Executive Chairman, who is visiting Moscow, said the commission was ready to resume the inspection effort in Iraq.
There is a lot of uncertainty about the matter. Mass destruction weapons have not be found as of yet in Iraq. We are continuing to discuss this matter and are preparing to return to Iraq, said Mr Perricos.
