Iraq sent a letter to UN weapons inspectors Monday approving the use of three types of surveillance planes and pledged to "continue the process" of legislation work banning the production of weapons of mass destruction.
Iraqi Presidential Advisor Amar Al-Saadi said in the single-page letter that Iraq has agreed to the use of U-2, Mirage and Anatanov, surveillance planes made by the United States, France and Russia respectively.
According to a copy of the letter obtained by Xinhua, Iraq also mentioned its willingness to "continue the process" of legislation work banning the production of weapons of mass destruction.
Hans Blix, head of UN Monitoring, Verification and Inspection Commission, pressed during his latest talks with senior Iraqi officials for greater cooperation on technical matters as well as on issues of substance.
Blix said he would like to have a positive answer to the use of surveillance planes before his scheduled briefing to the UN Security Council on Friday. Iraq had blocked the use of such planes, saying it can not guarantee the safety of those planes in the no-fly zone.
Blix will arrive in New York on Monday evening after a two-day visit to Baghdad, according to a UN spokesman.
(Xinhua News Agency February 11, 2003)
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