iraq to make blix's visit a 'success'

BAGHDAD, Feb 8 (Reuters) - Iraq's most influential newspaper
said on Satrday Baghdad would do its best to make a crucial
visit by chief U.N. weapons inspectors a success.
"Iraq will endeavor to make work of U.N. inspection teams
successful in order to avert the danger of American aggression
on Iraq and the whole region," wrote Babel, newspaper of
President Saddam Hussein's eldest son Uday.
The paper, however, urged top inspectors Hans Blix and
Mohamed ElBaradei, who arrive in Baghdad later on Satrday, to
be professional and neutral in their assessment of Iraq's
cooperation with inspectors.
"It is very important that Mr Blix and Mr ElBaradei should
be professional and should not bow to American pressure and
blackmail," it said.
"The world is looking forward to their visit in order to
prove that American allegations against Iraq are lies."
Blix, head of the U.N. Monitoring, Verification and
Inspection Commission (UNMOVIC), and ElBaradei, chairman of the
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), have said that
private interviews with Iraqi scientists and surveillance
flights were major issues on their agenda.
U.S. President George W. Bush said the United Nations must
soon decide whether to back America's demand that Iraq abandon
its alleged chemical, biological and nuclear programmes or be
disarmed by force.
Iraq denies having any such weapons.
For its part, Iraq bowed to a key U.N. demand and let
weapons inspectors hold private interviews with Iraqi
scientists.
The first interview occurred on Thursday. On Friday, Iraq
said U.N. weapons inspectors held private interviews with three
more scientists.