February 21, 2003	Friday	Zul Hijjah 19, 1423

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UNITED NATIONS, Feb 20: The UN weapons inspectors are expected to order the destruction of Iraq’s Al Samoud II missiles, after experts determined their range exceeds UN resolutions, diplomats here told Dawn.

The diplomats said that the Chief UN Weapons Inspector Hans Blix has yet to decide what to do about illegally-imported rocket engines for the Al Samoud missile and casting chambers for missile motors that previous inspectors destroyed but Baghdad repaired and reactivated using millions of dollars in food for oil money, the diplomats said.

Blix is expected to send a letter to Iraq in the coming days with his decisions.

However the diplomats observed that destroying the Al Samoud missiles would present a serious dilemma for Iraq, which would be required to give up a valuable weapons system at a time it faces the prospect of a US-led invasion.

If Iraq refuses, however, that would likely confirm US and British charges that Baghdad is refusing to disarm.

Baghdad has insisted that the Al Samoud II is within the legal limits established by the United Nations and that some of the missiles travelled beyond that range simply because they were tested without warheads or guidance systems, which made them lighter.