Arms inspectors must return to Iraq: Annan

The UN Secretary General Kofi Annan has said the weapons inspectors should return to Iraq as soon as possible to continue their work of disarming the country.

United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan has said the weapons inspectors should return to Iraq as soon as possible to continue their work of disarming the country.

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"They are the ones with mandate to disarm Iraq and when the situation permits they should go back to resume their work," he told reporters as he arrived at UN headquarters on Thursday.

The inspectors were withdrawn ahead of the US-led military action and so far Washington had not indicated when they would be able to go back.

Instead, the United States have sent its own experts, including some former weapons inspectors, to search for weapons of mass destruction and is seeking persons who had been associated with the programme.

The American teams are using latest technology, including ground penetrating radars, to search for weapons and diplomats say if they discover them, Washington might ask UN weapons inspectors to go there and verify that.

So far the United States says that the military situation does not permit their return.