U.N. Inspectors In Iraq Keep To Task

Christmas was just another working day for U.N. inspectors trying to determine whether Saddam Hussein is hiding weapons of mass destruction, with teams re-examining a site linked to Iraq's nuclear weapons program and another the United Nations believes produces explosives.

At an Iraqi propane refinery, the plant manager shrugged off the Christmas visit as just another day under the current U.N. microscope.

"If they don't want to enjoy Christmas, that's up to them," said Ibrahin Rashid.

It's not just inspections anymore, reports CBS News Correspondent Lee Cowan. Along with combing through equipment and records, the U.N. is now beginning to interview some of Iraq's top scientists.

At Saddam's Cabinet meeting Wednesday there was no reaction to the interviews. Instead, he left that to one of his nuclear physicists.

On Tuesday, Professor Sabah Abdul-Noor was the first to go public about his questioning. On Wednesday, he offered details.

He described the interview as deep and thorough, and called the inspectors "hard to satisfy."

"I'll tell you one thing," he said. "It's not easy to cheat these people. They are highly qualified."

As the New Year approaches, Iraq is running out of time to turn over a list of all its top scientists. But it may not matter. The U.N. says it already knows who to talk to, and Iraq insists the inspectors already know they have no weapons of mass destruction.

Meanwhile, Saddam addressed his people for a second straight day Wednesday, saying the Iraqi media should not quote the opinions of "adversaries" at a time when Iraq is locked in a confrontation with the West.

"Quoting the opinion of others and their different points of views while they are in the camp of the adversaries and not the camp of friends is sabotage regardless of the intentions," Saddam said in a speech read by a state television announcer.

"America doesn't allow a line from the address of Saddam Hussein in an American newspaper. Why are we talking about freedom with confusion?" Saddam added.

A few hours before Saddam's speech, the inspectors searched a gas laboratory and a grain storage area in al-Taji, a vast complex they have inspected at least twice this month. The International Atomic Energy Agency has linked the site to Iraq's nuclear weapons program.

They also revisited Hatteen Fatah Explosives Factory, 40 miles south of Baghdad.

Hiro Ueki, a spokesman for the U.N. program in Baghdad, said in a statement that Hatteen was a "very large complex that produces explosives for military bombs, shells and rockets. The team focused attention on changes at the site in the last four years that could aid a nuclear program."

Ajwad Kazem al-Nayef, chief engineer at Hatteen, told reporters the staff has been instructed to "fully cooperate" with the inspectors.

"They have doubts; we are trying to eliminate those doubts," al-Nayef said. "We are opening all doors so they can fully see everything. We are going to cooperate until, God willing, we will prove that this site, and other sites, don't have anything that we can hide from them."

In a Christmas Eve speech Tuesday, Saddam said the outcome of the inspection operations would "be a big shock to the United States and will expose all the American lies."

The inspectors have been working in Iraq since Nov. 27 under a U.N. Security Council resolution that threatens serious consequences if Iraq fails to eliminate nuclear, chemical and biological weapons and ballistic missiles.

In the first round of inspections in the 1990s, after Iraq's defeat in the Gulf War, the United Nations destroyed tons of Iraqi chemical and biological weapons and dismantled Iraq's nuclear weapons program but inspectors do not believe they got all Iraq's banned arsenal.

The United States and Britain have threatened war to rid Iraq of weapons of mass destruction.

As the inspectors made their rounds, Iraq's Christian minority celebrated Christmas with prayers and carols.

"Yesterday and today I prayed for peace," said Father Boutros Hadad at the Chaldean Virgin Mary Church in Baghdad. "The theme was: Don't be afraid, God is with us, he will rescue us.'"

Outside the church, Christmas carols were heard as women lit candles and distributed sweets.

Few Christmas trees could be seen in Baghdad, and only Christians take the day off. Christians represent about 5 percent of Iraq's 22 million population and live mainly in Baghdad and the north. Iraq is predominantly Muslim and officially secular.

Also Wednesday, Turkey urged Iraq to cooperate with United Nations weapons inspectors, as leaders debated what role to play in a possible war against Saddam Hussein.

Turkey is in the middle of an economic crisis and relies on Washington's political and economic support. It is a key U.S. ally in the region and NATO's sole Muslim member.

"We hope Iraq problem is solved within the U.N. system as soon as possible," Foreign Minister Yasar Yakis told parliament.