BAGHDAD, Dec 17: Iraq is working on the list of scientists involved in banned weapons programmes requested by the United Nations, the spokesman for UN arms inspectors Hiro Ueki said here Tuesday.

“I understand they are working on it,” the spokesman of the UN Monitoring, Verification and Inspection Commission (UNMOVIC) and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) told reporters.

The list should “include names from the top down to the level of scientists and engineers,” he replied when asked how far down the chain of responsibility the list was expected to reach.

The obligation to provide the list is contained in UN Security Council Resolution 1441 which tightened the disarmament regime and gave Iraq a final opportunity to cooperate with UN arms inspectors.

Iraq’s top liaison with the UN inspectors, General Hossam Mohammed Amin, had said Baghdad was drawing up the list and waiting for a formal request from the United Nations, which UN chief arms inspector Hans Blix sent on Thursday.—AFP