In press interviews following his Security Council briefing 27 January 2003, IAEA Director General Mohamed ElBaradei underlined the need for Iraq to give UN and IAEA inspectors more evidence and stronger proactive support in carrying out their disarmament mission. Security Council consultations on Iraq continue 29 January at UN headquarters in New York.
Speaking on CNN 28 January, Dr. ElBaradei made the following points:
- Proactive Iraqi Approach: He stressed the "need to have the ability to interview all of the Iraqi scientists we would like to interview in private, both inside and outside Iraq" and "to see more documents from Iraq in some areas when we need clarification". "I need a proactive approach," he said. "I need to see that Iraq is eager to cooperate, and not just dragging its feet. I think that is very important. The environment has to change."
- Resolution 1441: Referring to efforts to persuade Iraq to be more forthcoming, he said that "we have tried to impress on Iraq...has to prove it is innocent....With resolution 1441, the burden of proof is really in the Iraqi court, because Iraq was declared in material breach. So they have to prove their innocence, and that requires high level of confidence. They need to go out of their way to prove through whatever possible means that they have no weapons of mass destruction."
- Security Council Support: He emphasized the need for continued support from the Security Council. "The most important issue is to get the Security Council to be continuing its pressure on Iraq to disarm. I think we got where we are today, we got back to Iraq, to have access anywhere because of unified support in the Security Council. I hope that unified message, unified support and resolve will continue."
- Inspection Process: He said that in regard to Iraq's nuclear file, progress is being made, and several more months of inspection would be needed before conclusions could be drawn, barring unforeseen circumstances and "on the assumption that Iraq will continue to provide us evidence." He emphasized that the chemical and biological files are more "problematic" areas "because there are a lot of open questions."
- International Concern: "I know that the international community is getting impatient," he said,"but I think it is worth trying one more time, to give Iraq one final chance before we think of going to war....I think if we can make progress and if we can disarm Iraq through peaceful means, that is obviously in the interest of everybody."
Read the unofficial transcript of his CNN interview.