February 12, 2003	Wednesday	Zul Hijjah 10, 1423

PARIS, Feb 11: France is ready to provide to the United Nations two Mirage IV aircraft for “air reconnaissance and observation” in Iraq, the French army announced on Tuesday.

In addition to the two planes, Paris also offered in-flight refuelling aircraft and “a detachment of some 60 people” to reinforce UN arms inspections.

The offer follows Monday’s declaration by France, Russia and Germany in favour of expanding arms inspections in Iraq to disarm Baghdad through peaceful means.

The declaration called for “the substantial reinforcement of (the inspections’) human and technical capabilities”.

Earlier on Tuesday, Russia also offered Antonov-30 scout aircraft to beef up arms inspections in Iraq. Earlier, Russia also offered to supply reconnaissance aircraft to intensify international arms inspections in Iraq,

“The Russian air force is ready to provide the United Nations with Antonov-30 scout aircraft,” an air force spokesman Alexander Drobyshevsky told the Interfax news agency.

The planes are extensively used under the Open Skies programme under which countries of Nato and the former East Bloc survey each other’s territory from the air.—dpa