IRAQ: BAGHDAD: UN PERSONNEL PREPARE FOR KOFI ANNAN VISIT UPDATE (2)

Описание: (19 Feb 1998) Arabic/Eng

As preparations for the arrival in Baghdad of the U-N Secretary General continued on Thursday, Iraqis said they still hoped for a peaceful settlement to the weapons crisis.

Kofi Annan's visit to the Iraqi capital is being seen as possibly the last diplomatic effort to resolve the crisis.

His advance team has already arrived in Baghdad, paving the way for his arrival on Friday.

Kofi Annan's advance party was already engaged in shuttle diplomacy on Wednesday, in preparation for his arrival the next day.

Rolf Goran Knutsson, a director in Annan's office, and Shashi Tharoor, an executive assistant to the Secretary-General, touched down in Baghdad on Wednesday afternoon.

They made their way to the Al-Rasheed hotel.

At a press conference at U-N headquarters, spokesman Eric Falt confirmed the work of a three-man technical team had been completed.

The team was sent in by Annan to map the presidential sites at the centre of the present conflict.

SOUNDBITE: (English)
"The three person technical team mandated by the Secretary-General concluded its task and visited all eight presidential sites. The two surveyors from Austria are leaving Iraq this afternoon. The leader of the team, Mr. Staffan de Mistura is staying to assist the Secretary-General during his mission."
SUPER CAPTION: Eric Falt, U.N. spokesman

Annan's visit is regarded as a last ditch attempt to avert a military strike by the United States.

However there was little evidence of anxiety on the streets on Thursday.

At Luna Park funfair in the capital, people were hopeful a peaceful solution could still be reached.

VOXPOP: (Arabic)
"I hope that when Kofi Annan comes there will be no bombing of Iraq. The Iraqi people always like to solve things in a peaceful way."
SUPER CAPTION: Voxpop

VOXPOP: (English)
"I think there will be a positive result, it will be the end of this bad story about the bombing of Iraq."
SUPER CAPTION: Voxpop

Annan, who plans to meet Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein, says he has "reasonable chances of success."

But the Americans have made it clear that time is running out for diplomacy.

The White House has said that if Annan fails, the prospects of peace will be very dim.

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