Inspectors to Check Slipper Factories, Iraqi Press Doesn’t Care
Slipper factories under scrutiny in Iraq
BAGHDAD
, November 20 (IslamOnline & News Agencies) - News which dominated
world headlines that the chief U.N. arms inspector had arrived in
Iraq
warranted exactly 31 words in Arabic in
Baghdad
’s official press on Tuesday, November 19.
That
was the length of the dispatch from the Iraqi News Agency reporting the
arrival on Monday, November 18, and which every newspaper re-published
word for word.
“Mr.
Hans Blix, chairman of the commission of inspectors, and Mr. Mohamed
El-Baradei, International Atomic Energy Agency chairman, arrived at
Saddam
International
Airport
yesterday heading a delegation of international experts for a few days
in
Iraq
,” the story said.
Iraqi
television stations also broadcast the briefest of footage of Blix
landing at the airport to kick-start the inspection process after a
four-year gap.
However
lengthy editorials in the press were dominated by the issue of
inspections and fears that the
United States
would still strike
Iraq
despite pledges to cooperate with the United Nations.
Meanwhile,
U.K.
newspaper, the Independent reported the U.N. inspections in
Iraq
would also include factories producing sponge mattresses and slippers.
“Such
is the scale of information the U.N. is demanding, Iraqi officials told
Mr. Blix’s team they may have difficulties meeting the 8 December
deadline by which they must submit a detailed report,” said the Independent.
According
to the paper, the Iraqis were told the “U.N. operation would be much
more exhausting, intrusive and comprehensive than anything in the past,
and no place, or person, could expect dispensation.”
