Iraqi authorities show factory the US claims is a weapons facility

(20 Aug 2002) VOICED BY NICOLE CLEMENTS 0000 Shot from inside of car of entrance of site as journalists arrive at Al Taji factory/warehouse site 0008 Pan of exterior of complex 0014 Exterior Iraqi Minister of Trade Mahdi Salah walking with reporters 0018 Salah leading journalists inside 0024 Interior - sacks in warehouse 0028 Journalists looking at open box with packets of foodstuffs 0033 Close up packets of milk powder 0037 Writing on box saying it is milk powder 0042 SOUNDBITE: (English) Saad Al Mosawi, Foreign ministry Representative: "You are in one of the sites that the US media claim is conducting biological weapons activities and you can see that it is a simple warehouse of Ministry of Trade for foodstuffs." 0058 Various Salah showing journalists around 0106 Pan down sacks of foodstuffs 0111 Fork-lift truck driving into warehouse 0120 ENDS STORYLINE: Top Iraqi officials escorted a group of journalists to a site near Baghdad on Tuesday, which US officials suspect could be a biological weapons facility. The group were shown around the site and its warehouse, which appeared to be a store for foodstuffs. 0002 Journalists were driven to the al-Taji complex in a tour designed to counter US claims biological weapons were being made here. 0009 The US said last week they suspected truck movements near the complex showed Saddam Hussein was dispersing such weapons ahead of a possible US strike on Iraq. 0019 But on Tuesday Iraq's Trade Minister said the trucks were loaded with food, which they were transporting from the al-Taji stores complex to other subsidiary warehouses. 0028 As proof, the journalists were shown large warehouses full of food, which they were allowed to inspect at close range. Tuesday's tour was the latest effort by the Iraqi government to convince the world Iraq is not a legitimate target for the US. 0042 0042 SOUNDBITE: (English) Saad Al Mosawi, Foreign ministry Representative: "You are in one of the sites that the US media claim is conducting biological weapons activities and you can see that it is a simple warehouse of Ministry of Trade for foodstuffs." 0058 But the UN Security Council says the only evidence it will accept that Iraq is not developing weapons of mass destruction is that of its own weapons inspectors. Until Iraq allows their return to the country, there remains a chance, not only that the US will attack Iraq, but that they will have the full backing of the United Nations. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter:   / ap_archive   Facebook:   / aparchives   ​​ Instagram:   / apnews   You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...