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QUESTION: IRAQ HAS SAID THAT IT WOULD START DESTROYING AL SAMOUD 2 MISSILES BY TOMORROW. WHAT CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT THIS?
SPOKESMAN: Yesterday, UNMOVIC received a letter from Iraq indicating that they agree in principle to the UNMOVIC request to start destroying the Al Samoud 2 missiles and other associated items by the first of March. There is going to be a technical discussion in Baghdad tomorrow morning between Iraq and UNMOVIC. The Deputy Executive Chairman of UNMOVIC, Demetrius Perricos will head the UN team and following the technical discussions, the destruction of the Al Samoud 2 missile system could commence, possibly in the afternoon.
QUESTION: AND WHAT IS GOING TO BE DESTROYED? THE WAR HEADS, THE MISSILES, AND I HEARD ON BBC THAT THEY WERE ALSO TALKING ABOUT THE FACTORY WHERE THESE MISSILES ARE PRODUCED. CAN YOU TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT?
SPOKESMAN: In his letter of the 21st of February, Chairman Blix indicated that Al Samoud 2 missiles and associated items are considered proscribed, and he listed a number of items, including all Al Samoud 2 missiles and war heads, fuel and oxidizer, the SA2 missile engines imported illegally - now we are talking about 380 such engines and all engine components associated with this SA2 engine, and so forth. So it involved a number of items that need to be destroyed.
QUESTION: WHAT IS GOING TO BE THE ROLE OF THE UN INSPECTORS IN THIS DESTRUCTION OF THESE MISSILES?
SPOKESMAN: UN inspectors will guide and supervise the destruction of Al Samoud 2 missiles and its components and associated systems. I must add that the technical discussions tomorrow morning will touch on the procedure as well as possibly timetable for the destruction of those proscribed items. 