Brookings Experts Hold Conference Call Following March 7 Blix Report

Chief UN weapons inspectors Hans Blix and Mohamed ElBaradei will deliver their latest reports to the UN Security Council Friday. In addition to the ongoing destruction of Iraq’s Al Samoud 2 missiles, which began March 1, the reports will likely focus on the state of Iraqi compliance and cooperation.

The Bush administration faces an uphill battle at the UN. On Wednesday, the foreign ministers of France, Germany, and Russia said jointly that they would block passage of a second Security Council resolution authorizing the use of force against Iraq. France and Russia—both permanent members of the Security Council—have the power to veto pending resolutions.

Brookings scholars Ivo Daalder and Martin Indyk will hold a conference call with reporters to discuss this week’s developments and assess the weapons inspectors’ reports.