Iraq to submit new report
( 2003-03-04 00:30 ) (7 )

The United Nations (UN) said Monday that Iraq would submit a new report on VX nerve gas and anthrax stocks in a week's time as part of a drive to avert a possible US invasion.

Accused by Washington of playing a "game of deception,'' Iraq and UN arms experts discussed on Sunday Baghdad's proposal for "quantitative verification'' of VX and anthrax that it says it has unilaterally destroyed.

Chief UN weapons inspector Hans Blix -- due to report on Iraqi compliance to the UN Security Council at week's end -- has accused Iraq of failing to provide details to back up its claim that it has destroyed chemical and biological weapons.

General Amer al-Saadi, an adviser to President Saddam Hussein, said on Sunday excavations carried out in recent weeks at sites near Baghdad proved that Iraq had destroyed "important quantities'' of the banned VX and anthrax substances.

"Iraq will be providing a report on the VX and anthrax in a week's time,'' said Hiro Ueki, spokesman for UN weapons inspectors in Baghdad.

Ueki said a UN missile inspection team headed Monday to a site to oversee Iraq's destruction of more al-Samoud 2 missiles.

In another development, Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi Monday threw his support behind a new resolution on Iraq presented to the UN Security Council by the United States, Britain and Spain.

"Japan supports the resolution submitted by the United States, Britain and Spain,'' Koizumi said in parliament.

"France and Germany regard use of force as the last resort, which means they are not necessarily denying it.

"Unless the international community unites and puts pressure on Iraq, it will not co-operate with weapons inspections,'' Koizumi said, adding that he regarded the new resolution, which has not yet passed the council, as part of ongoing efforts to disarm the country.

An Iraqi official said Iraq scrapped six more banned Al-Samoud 2 missiles Monday, bringing the total in three days to 16.

Uday al-Tai, the director general of Iraq's information ministry, said six out of at least seven due to be destroyed during the day had been disposed of by midday.