"Iraq is fully cooperating with the inspectors in terms of procedure and substance," Mohammad Amin, head of the Iraqi National Monitoring Directorate, told reporters.

He expressed hope that the United Nations Monitoring, Verification and Inspection Commission (UNMOVIC) and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) could draw a conclusion that Iraq is free of weapons of mass destruction.

Amin's remarks came two days after chief UN weapons inspectors delivered updated reports to the UN Security Council on Iraq's disarmament.

"The reports confirmed Iraq's pro-active cooperation with the inspectors," Amin said, while calling for lifting "unfair sanctions" on Iraq.

"U-2 surveillance flights over Iraq were continuing, and interviews with Iraqi scientists by UN experts were continuing," he said, adding 46 banned al-Samoud 2 missiles have thus far been destroyed.

As for the pace of the destruction of the banned missiles, he said such an issue has been decided upon by the Iraqi side and the UNMOVIC, and the leader of the superpower should not interfere in the matter.

(Xinhua News Agency March 10, 2003)