Iraq has complied with all requirements to declare and destroy its nuclear weapons capability, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said in a report yesterday.
The Vienna-based IAEA is in charge of neutralising Iraq's nuclear weapons programme while the UN Special Commission (Unscom) handles biological, chemical and ballistic weapons.
"The IAEA's ongoing monitoring and verification activities carried out since October 1997 have not revealed indications of the existence in Iraq of prohibited equipment, material or of the conduct of prohibited activities," said the report from the United Nations' nuclear watchdog.
"Iraq has satisfactorily completed its undertaking to produce a consolidated version of its `Full, Final and Complete Declaration' of its clandestine nuclear programme," it said.
The IAEA's conclusion will probably result in another attempt by Russia for a Security Council resolution to "close" the nuclear file, which most nations, including Britain, would probably support, diplomats said.
The United States in the past has opposed closing any files saying that all demands have to be met at the same time. Compliance by Iraq in destroying its chemical, biological, ballistic missile as well as nuclear programs is a key requirement before sanctions on exports, such as oil, can be lifted.
The IAEA had been cautious about giving Baghdad a clean bill of health after having first failed to detect its nuclear program. In its current report, the agency said it was still reviewing data in Iraq's declarations, adding that the latest data was still under review but appeared to take into account "many of the requested clarifications".
Meanwhile in Baghdad, scores of Iraqis, accusing the United States of genocide against their children, yesterday buried 29 infants they said died from shortages of medicine caused by United Nations sanctions.
"We are facing a genocide against our people, especially against our children," said Sultan al-Shawi, head of the Iraqi Child Support Society, who led the funeral procession.
"We participate in this funeral to show all over the world the cruelty of the US against the people of Iraq because the US administration prolonging the embargo against Iraq, although Iraq obliged with all Security Council resolutions."
"There is no God but God! Clinton is the enemy of God! Clinton has killed your brother!" chanted the crowd of about 150 men and women. Most of the women wore black head-to-toe Islamic-style chadors.
Some women marchers wiped tears from their eyes as the procession passed in central Baghdad. The coffins, some for children as young as two months, carried the picture, name and age of each child, some shown in hospital beds before or after death.
Iraqi officials say the infant mortality rate has risen sharply to 6,500 a month this year from 450 before the stringent economic sanctions were imposed on Iraq after its 1990 invasion of Kuwait.
Meanwhile, the official Iraqi News Agency said Unscom inspection teams went on surprise visits to 12 sites in Iraq, while the resident team of chemical weapons inspectors visited two sites.
"The surveillance teams of the Special Commission continued their activity today with complete co-operation from the Iraqi side," INA reported.