March 9, 2003	Sunday	Muharram 5, 1424

AMMAN, March 8: Iraq has invited Amnesty International to visit Baghdad next month for the first time since 1983, the secretary general of the human rights group, Irene Khan, said on Saturday.

“We have been asking to visit Baghdad since 1983, this was our last visit, and I recently was informed by the Iraqi government that they would agree to our visit,” Khan said in an interview in Jordan.

“The Iraqi government has suggested some time in April but we suggested March,” Khan said, adding that she hoped the visit could take place as soon as possible, because the “human rights situation is urgent”.

Asked why she thought Baghdad was now willing to invite Amnesty back to Iraq, she said: “Maybe because there is international pressure on them” to disarm or face war.

“Just as they have been cooperating with the (UN) arms inspectors perhaps they are ready to cooperate also on the human rights inspectors,” she said.—AFP