Moscow, Feb 17: The United Nations has accepted Russia's offer of a reconnaissance plane to monitor Iraqi territory and the two sides are to discuss details later this month, Russian news agencies reported today. The Itar-Tass news agency quoted deputy foreign minister Yuri Fedotov as saying that Hans Blix, the chief UN weapons inspector, had agreed in principle to the Russian offer of an Antonov an-30b aircraft. He said that some "technical issues" would be discussed in Moscow next week, and that it was yet to be decided "how the plane will be used."
American U-2 and French mirage planes are also to be used in the search for banned weapons in Iraq.
Bureau Report