How the inspections broke down
April 3 1991 UN security council passes resolution 687, dictating terms of Gulf war ceasefire. Requires Iraq to declare and destroy weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missile delivery systems. Also establishes UN special commission (Unscom) to monitor and verify elimination of weapons
May 1991 Unscom begins inspections in Iraq
February 1992 Security council condemns lack of full compliance
July 1992 Unscom personnel try to enter agriculture ministry in Baghdad without warning for inspection. They are blocked and begin 24-hour observation. Forced to leave country after being attacked by mobs in street
July 1993 Unscom prevented from installing monitoring cameras at two missile test stands. Government backs down under threat of international military action
June 1994 Unscom destroys chemical warfare agents
June 1996 Inspectors denied access to sites associated with Republican Guard and Special Republican Guard, believed to be involved in concealment of weapons. Iraq denies access to four of six sites, saying they are presidential areas. Iraq condemned in August for gross violations of UN resolutions
June 1997 Iraq again blocks Unscom from certain sites
October 1997 Iraq refuses to deal with US personnel working for Unscom
November 1997 Resolution 1137 condemns continued violation by Iraq
November 1997 Russians secure return of Unscom
January 1998 Iraq continues to block inspection teams
October 31 1998 Iraq ends all cooperation with Unscom
December 16 1998 Special commission withdraws staff from Iraq, Unscom disbanded
December 17 1999 Resolution 1284 creates UN monitoring, verification and inspection commission (Unmovic) to replace Unscom. Iraq rejects resolution
March 1 2000 Hans Blix assumes post of Unmovic executive chairman
November 2000 Deputy prime minister Tariq Aziz rejects new weapons inspection proposals
March/May 2002 UN secretary general Kofi Annan unable to persuade Iraqi representatives to allow inspectors' return
July 5-6 Talks in Vienna between Annan and Iraq's foreign minister, Naji Sabri, fail.
July 25 2002 Sabri says any agreement must include route towards lifting sanctions, ending threats of regime change, and end to no-flight zones
August 2002 Iraq invites chief weapons inspector to Baghdad for talks on resuming inspections
May 1991 Unscom begins inspections in Iraq
February 1992 Security council condemns lack of full compliance
July 1992 Unscom personnel try to enter agriculture ministry in Baghdad without warning for inspection. They are blocked and begin 24-hour observation. Forced to leave country after being attacked by mobs in street
July 1993 Unscom prevented from installing monitoring cameras at two missile test stands. Government backs down under threat of international military action
June 1994 Unscom destroys chemical warfare agents
June 1996 Inspectors denied access to sites associated with Republican Guard and Special Republican Guard, believed to be involved in concealment of weapons. Iraq denies access to four of six sites, saying they are presidential areas. Iraq condemned in August for gross violations of UN resolutions
June 1997 Iraq again blocks Unscom from certain sites
October 1997 Iraq refuses to deal with US personnel working for Unscom
November 1997 Resolution 1137 condemns continued violation by Iraq
November 1997 Russians secure return of Unscom
January 1998 Iraq continues to block inspection teams
October 31 1998 Iraq ends all cooperation with Unscom
December 16 1998 Special commission withdraws staff from Iraq, Unscom disbanded
December 17 1999 Resolution 1284 creates UN monitoring, verification and inspection commission (Unmovic) to replace Unscom. Iraq rejects resolution
March 1 2000 Hans Blix assumes post of Unmovic executive chairman
November 2000 Deputy prime minister Tariq Aziz rejects new weapons inspection proposals
March/May 2002 UN secretary general Kofi Annan unable to persuade Iraqi representatives to allow inspectors' return
July 5-6 Talks in Vienna between Annan and Iraq's foreign minister, Naji Sabri, fail.
July 25 2002 Sabri says any agreement must include route towards lifting sanctions, ending threats of regime change, and end to no-flight zones
August 2002 Iraq invites chief weapons inspector to Baghdad for talks on resuming inspections
Use the feedback form below to submit your comments.
Use the form below to email this article to your friends.
- 50,000 Troops in Gulf Illness Scare
- Cell graffiti yields clue to lost pilot
- Coffee, confidences, and lessons in a kind of history from the 'jackal'
- Tribal leaders may get local powers
- Reliving Old Battles
- US generals embrace new kind of warfare
- The reality of war on the ground
- War looms as leaders prepare for summit
- Tactical lessons that must be learnt
- Anti-mine groups call for ban on cluster bombs
- US Ready to Use Blix Report As Launchpad for Gulf War
- Americans Shot Near Kuwait City
- Russian warships on standby to sail to Gulf
- US sets up Iraq battle HQ in Gulf
- Martyrs' heirs await the assault
- US Moves Gulf War Hearing to London
- The Road of Death Remembered
- The panel