31.   Baghdad has prevented UNSCOM inspectors from entering several sites since both sides signed an agreement in June calling for unrestricted access.

32.   But since Tuesday, Iraqi authorities have invoked national security to prevent the inspectors from entering sites linked to the elite Republican Guards.

33.   Ekeus arrived in Iraq on Wednesday to urge the authorities here to lift a ban preventing his inspectors from searching all sites suspected of harboring banned weapons.

34.   UN disarmament chief Rolf Ekeus announced here Wednesday he failed to persuade Iraq to stop preventing his inspectors from removing banned missile parts for analysis abroad.

35.   UN disarmament chief Rolf Ekeus said Wednesday that he had failed to persuade Iraq to stop preventing his inspectors from removing banned missile parts for analysis abroad.

36.   Iraq has since Tuesday prevented the inspectors from entering two Republican Guard sites in Abu Gharib, west of Baghdad, and in the capital itself.

37.   On Wednesday, in a similar standoff, the inspectors were prevented from entering another Republican Guards facility.

38.   On Thursday, Iraqi authorities prevented the inspectors from entering a facility for three hours, the diplomats said.

39.   Since Tuesday, Iraq has prevented the inspectors, who are searching for suspected concealed weaponry, from entering sites linked to the elite Republican Guard.

40.   Since last week Iraq has prevented UN inspectors from making snap weapons searches.