Iraq accuses U.S. of 'blackmail'

White House dismisses criticism for obtaining copy of report

U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan, left, and weapons inspector Hans Blix address the media Tuesday.

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VIDEO CNN's Rebecca MacKinnon reports on the task for International Atomic Energy Agency experts as they review Iraq's declaration. (December 9) PLAY VIDEO CNN's Nic Robertson reports on the U.N. inspection of a chemical complex northwest of Baghdad. (December 9) PLAY VIDEO SPECIAL REPORT •  War Tracker •  On the Scene Map •  Commanders: U.S. | Iraq •  Weapons: 3D Models •  Coalition casualties | POW/MIA •  Special Report RELATED • Gallery: Iraq shows arms report to journalists  • Nic Robertson: Extensive questioning of plant directors  • Behind the Scenes: U.S. begins war game in tranquil Qatar  • Fact Sheet: Analyzing Iraqi report  • Interactive: Suspected weapons  IRAQ DECLARATION Documentation includes: 11,808 pages of information 2,381 on nuclear programs 1,260 on biological weaponry 1,880 on chemical weaponry 6,287 on missiles Plus 12 CD-ROMs containing 529 megabytes of information Source: Iraqi government WHAT'S NEXT? On or before January 27, inspectors must report back to the Security Council. If the United Nations finds the declaration to be incomplete or untrue, it could find Iraq in "material breach" of Resolution 1441, which calls for Iraq to fully disclose its weapons of mass destruction programs and to disarm. The U.S. government has said if Iraq does not comply and fully disarm, it will lead a coalition to disarm Iraqi President Saddam Hussein through military force.

UNITED NATIONS (CNN) -- Iraqi officials Tuesday accused the United States of "unprecedented blackmail" for obtaining an unedited copy of Iraq's dossier on its weapons of mass destruction.

White House officials called the statement "ludicrous."

An Iraqi Foreign Ministry statement said that the United States received a copy before any other U.N. Security Council member and that "America aims to manipulate the U.N. documents to find a cover for aggression against Iraq."

The statement also said the U.S. move was "in violation of the agreement reached by the council."

"We have not blackmailed anybody," said James Cunningham, U.S. deputy ambassador to the United Nations.

Chief U.N. weapons inspector Hans Blix met with the Security Council on Tuesday and said his team hoped to finish analyzing the "main part" of the 11,000-page document by Friday.

After behind-the-scenes discussions, the current Security Council president, Colombian U.N. Ambassador Alfonso Valdivieso, announced Sunday that all five permanent members of the council -- the United States, Britain, France, Russia and China -- would receive unedited copies of Iraq's dossier.

The United States was the first to receive it, and White House officials said Tuesday the four other permanent members have received copies of the declaration.

The Security Council initially agreed that the declaration would go only to weapons inspectors, who would analyze it and remove parts that might relate to the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction before passing it along to member nations.

Move upsets some nations

The decision to give the United States an unedited copy early upset several nonpermanent members of the 15-member Security Council, including Syria, because it overrode what the body decided Friday. (Full story)

"The report should be distributed for all the members of the council ... because all the countries voted on the resolution," Syrian U.N. Ambassador Mikhail Wehbe said, referring to U.N. Security Council resolution 1441, adopted unanimously November 8, that demanded the declaration.

Calling the decision unprecedented and unwise, he said, "Usually such decisions should be taken by consensus. Even if there is one state against this decision, they should not take the decision."

But one nation with a copy of Iraq's declaration said the Security Council will consider only the weapons inspectors' analysis of the documents -- not a U.S. assessment.

Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov said that the council "will take into account the assessments of only these experts," the Russian Interfax news agency reported.

It was not clear when the 10 nonpermanent council members would see abridged portions of the report.

White House press secretary Ari Fleischer said Tuesday the Bush administration was not prepared to offer any early assessment of the declaration.

"It is still in very preliminary stages," Fleischer said, adding that President Bush would receive briefings as the assessment progressed.

Dossier could ID suppliers

The declaration could identify countries or firms that supplied Iraq's nuclear, chemical and biological weapons programs, according to a table of contents that CNN obtained Monday. (Portions of report)

In a letter that accompanies the nearly 12,000-page document, Foreign Minister Naji Sabri said the dossier's publication "entails risk" of releasing information that violates nonproliferation standards.

Sabri called the report "currently accurate, full and complete" but told the Security Council it contains information that could aid countries seeking to develop nuclear, chemical or biological weapons.

The contents pages also include references to procurement of petrochemicals for Iraq's nuclear weapons program and to "foreign technical assistance" and "relations with companies, representatives and individuals" under its chemical weapons declaration.

Meanwhile, the Bush administration has issued a reminder of its policy that warns any nation using weapons of mass destruction against the United States or its allies that it will face massive retaliation, perhaps with nuclear weapons. It's a stern warning at a time when the prospect of war with Iraq has prompted fears that Saddam Hussein will unleash chemical or biological weapons. (Full story)

And outside Baghdad, a team of U.N. weapons inspectors Wednesday searched the Al Fatah factory in the sprawling Al Karama facility, an inspector told CNN. (Full story)

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