United Nations, June 20: Secretary-General Kofi Annan has told chief UN weapons inspector Hans Blix that even his critics are beginning to appreciate his efforts and are learning that inspections take time and patience, a UN spokesman said.
During a private farewell call, Annan also told Blix, "He admired how he had handled his difficult job, with hard work, dedication, honesty, leadership and independence,'' said spokesman Fred Eckhard. Blix, who celebrates his 75th birthday next week, is retiring on June 30 after three years as executive chairman of the UN Monitoring, Verification and Inspection Commission, which was responsible for searching for Iraq's chemical and biological weapons and the long-range missiles to deliver them. In the weeks before US and British forces invaded Iraq, some US officials strongly criticized blix's reports to the security council for failing to support the United States' contention that Saddam had an active illegal weapons programs. During 3 months of inspections in Iraq, Blix said his teams found no Weapons of Mass Destruction, but still had many outstanding questions about the country's previous weapons programs.

The United Nations refused to back the military ouster of Saddam Hussein. The United States barred UN inspectors from returning to Iraq after the war, choosing instead to deploy its own teams.

Bureau Report