Baghdad Objects to Testing Missile Parts

The chief U.N. weapons inspector failed to persuade Iraq to release missile parts for inspection to verify that Baghdad is following orders to destroy long-range missiles, as required under agreements that ended the Persian Gulf War. U.N. inspector Rolf Ekeus wants to take disassembled parts abroad for analysis to confirm that they actually came from long-range missiles. He says the analysis can only be done outside of Iraq. Iraq has resisted, saying it fears the results will be forged. Ekeus met six times with Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister Tarik Aziz this week, but made little progress. The two sides will meet again in February.