UN weapons inspectors said today that more of Iraq's al-Samoud 2 missiles were being scrapped and Iraq would give a new report on VX nerve gas and anthrax stocks in a week's time.
Baghdad began destroying some 120 al-Samoud 2 missiles on Saturday - the deadline set by chief UN weapons inspector Dr Hans Blix. Ten missiles, whose range Dr Blix says exceeds the 93-mile limit allowed by UN resolutions, were scrapped over the weekend.
Iraqi authorities decided not to release pictures or television footage of the destruction process - despite the impact on world public opinion - because it was "too harsh" and "unacceptable" for the Iraqi people to see, the Iraqi foreign ministry said.
Iraq also held talks with UN arms experts yesterday to discuss its proposal for "quantitative verification" of VX and anthrax that Baghdad said it had unilaterally destroyed.
Mr Blix has criticised Iraq in the past for failing to give detailed information to back up its claim that it had destroyed chemical and biological weapons stocks.
A key adviser to President Saddam Hussein, General Amer al- Saadi, excavations carried out in recent weeks at sites near Baghdad proved that Iraq had destroyed "important quantities" of the banned VX and anthrax substances.
Mr Blix, who will make a crucial report on Friday to the UN Security Council on Iraqi compliance, said destruction of the al-Samoud 2 missiles would be "a significant piece of real disarmament".