Baghdad: Scientists free to go abroad

Iraq agreed on Thursday to allow its weapons scientists to leave the country for interviews with a UN inspection team, but despite calling it their "personal decision,'' the government seemed to signal that they should refuse to go, saying "it's not necessary'' to leave Iraq to conduct the interviews.

The government promised to deliver to the United Nations by Sunday a list of scientists and technicians who have worked in fields related to ballistic missiles or chemical, biological or nuclear weapons. A senior Iraqi official said the list, requested by the UN Monitoring, Verification and Inspection Commission, would include hundreds of names.

The issue of interviewing weapons scientists has become particularly sensitive in the confrontation between Iraq and the United States, and tens of thousands of additional U.S. troops are reportedly ready to move to the region for possible military action to destroy President Saddam Hussain's rule. U.S. officials have said an Iraqi refusal to allow the scientists to leave would violate the November 8 Security Council resolution requiring full cooperation with weapons inspectors - and thus could be construed as a reason for war.

The Bush administration has pressured UN inspectors to take key scientists and their families out of Iraq, saying they would offer more candid disclosures without the fear of retaliation. For weeks, Iraq declined to commit to the idea, citing concerns about human rights and international law and pushing for interviews to be conducted here, even if government witnesses were not permitted.

At a news conference on Thursday, the chief Iraqi liaison to the inspectors said the government would not block scientists from traveling abroad for interviews. But he left little doubt that he thought they should decline to go.

"It's up to them. You can ask the scientists one by one,'' said Gen. Hussam Mohammed Amin, head of the National Monitoring Directorate and a weapons specialist. "I'm one of them. I can answer you on my case only. I will not go.''

Asked why, he said, "Because I don't like to leave my country. If there is any important question to be addressed to me, let them address it to me here in Iraq. Why this complicated procedure? I don't believe in this complicated procedure.''

Amin added, "It's not necessary to meet scientists outside Iraq. The issue of meeting is a personal one, and the National Monitoring Directorate cannot force anyone to do this because everyone is free to do what he wants and we as the National Monitoring Directorate are not supporting or refusing this.''

Military preparations are under way, with militia units staging exercises in central Iraq to prepare to defend against a U.S. invasion. Just as U.S. troops have conducted high-profile war games in the Middle East, in part to pressure Iraq, the militias advertised their dress rehearsals. Troops practiced fighting in urban and rural areas, according to the newspaper Al Qadissiya, which is published by the Iraqi army.

The moves appeared to reflect a conclusion that war may be inevitable. "It's coming,'' Mohammed Muthafar Adhami, dean of political science at Baghdad University and a member of the Iraqi parliament, said in an interview. "All the evidence shows they are going to attack.''

UN inspectors are scheduled to report to the Security Council on January 27 on the progress of their searches for banned weapons or weapons production programmes. U.S. officials have said that could be a date for President Bush to decide on moving further toward war.

Inspectors returned to work here on November 27 after a four-year absence and so far have reported cooperation by Iraq without drawing any conclusions about their findings.

@ Los Angeles Times-Washington Post News Service