MOSCOW. June 6 (Interfax-AVN) - Any finds related to weapons of mass destruction in Iraq must be verified by the UN Monitoring, Verification, and Inspection Commission (UNMOVIC) and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Yuri Fedotov said in a Friday interview with Interfax.
"UN Security Council Resolution 1483 has provided the occupation forces with wide authority in line with international law and international conventions. They can do a lot of things. As is known, they are currently looking for weapons of mass destruction. The point is that any finds that could be revealed there must be certified and verified by international organizations, such as UNOMOVIC and IAEA," Fedotov said.
UNMOVIC chief Hans Blix delivered a final report on work done by disarmament inspectors in Iraq at the Security Council on Thursday.
"Blix's report was very useful and timely, but it implies that unclear points still remain in Iraq's disarmament dossiers. The sooner this issue becomes clear, the better for the process of a postwar restoration and settlement in Iraq," Fedotov said.
"It is necessary to define new forms and methods for UNMOVIC's work in Iraq, as is stipulated by Security Council Resolution 1483," he said.
"The matter involves working out forms for certifying the completion of Iraq's disarmament by international organizations, such as the UNMOVIC and IAEA. It is up to the Security Council to discuss and decide on how this can be done," he said.