Foot and mouth disease, (FMD) is one of the most fatal diseases which strike cloven foot animals inflicting heavy economic losses due to lower average of milk and meat production and higher moralities of young animals. It also causes pregnant animals to abortion.

Among the control procedures taken against this disease is the protective immunity against the different types of viruses that cause it. That is why Iraq undertakes to establish labs for producing the vaccine after being imported.

Following the most ambitions development plan passed by the political leadership in Iraq in the 70s, a contact was concluded with the French Company IFA Mario ( Ron Miron currently ) to establish a strategic project to produce three types of FMD vaccines at al-Dora district in Baghdad .

The project design capacity was (12 ) million triple doses annually to meet the need of Iraq and other neighbouring countries. The project labs are designed with an advanced technology in production and diagnosis. They are equipped with advanced equipment, operation and control systems. Modern methods are applied to prevent the product from contamination and stop viruses from contaminating the surrounding areas.

In 1984 Iraq has started exporting large quantities of vaccine to many countries, but the production was haulted for a short while in 1991 due to thirty states aggression against Iraq. The project’s labs due to their technical capabilities in classification and diagnosis of the viruses are treated as reliable in this field and considered a reference ones by the FAO since the end of 1989. The project continued the production of FMD vaccine until 1992 utilizing the raw materials available then. Due to the circumstances created by the commercial sanctions imposed on Iraq, it becomes difficult to import the raw materials involved in the production and to import parts of the equipment and instruments that have been in service. Due to these reason, the project’s activities were limited down to diagnosis only.

In December 1995 UNSCOM stopped all the lab’s activities of the project , completely closed it down and put seals and tags on the outside doors in preparation for arbitrary measures of destruction.

It is worth mentioning that following the closure of the site, the FMD struck at the end of 1995 and the beginning of 1996 in specific.

Iraq, in a bid to express its wish to treat the disease in Iraq and in the area, asked UNSCOM to give its permission to take out some of the materials and appliances locked in the project to be used for diagnose and to determine the virus of the disease. This was intended with a view to approaching the FAO to supply Iraq with the protective vaccine.

UNSCOM’s response to the Iraqi request came very late and was incomplete following a long series of questions and inquiries raised by the UNSCOM- some of them were illogical. UNSCOM, for instance , asked Iraq to present a clarification “ why does Iraq treat the motives of its request as being urgent ? “ Though the Iraqi side presented the clarification wanted , further questions were raised aimed at delaying meeting the Iraqi request . Nevertheless, UNSCOM gave permission to take only eight items out of the seventeen required for the diagnosis purpose claiming that the other items can be ensured from sources other than FMD labs.

Thus the UNSCOM , after realizing how essential these materials and instruments are in the treatment and diagnosis of the disease , went too far in its despotic powers reflecting its hatred against Iraq and against any attempt that may save the cattle resources in Iraq which suffers hard the unfair blockade. UNSCOM conducted an arbitrary measure in June 1997 when it destroyed some of the equipment and sets involved in the process of production and diagnosis. Moreover, it destroyed the most important chain; the main ventilation system including the air and ventilation ducts forcing the foam through the pipes using cement.

UNSCOM knows very well that the ventilation system produces negative pressure in the labs by supplying mechanically – directed inwards the air is perfectly filtered. There also an air-discharging system with excellent performance. They all work together to ensure a complete protection to the labs , stop contaminating the products and prevent leaking the gas to nearly environment.

The UNSCOM completely destroyed the site. Thus it becomes impossible to put it again in operation especially if we know that the process of producing such vaccine is entirely different from other vaccines. This is because it goes through complicated processes.

The volume of the damage inflicted on the site dose not correspond with the justifications presented by the UNSCOM . The decision to destroy the site is not logical, it is rather unfair and technically arbitrary . This holds true when UNSCOM rejected on purpose the Iraqi proposals not to destroy the main ventilation system. The labs were already identified since 1991 and were under the ongoing monitoring systems. They had monitoring cameras and movement sensors that transmitted all photos and variables round the clock since then.

Halting the production of the vaccine and the problems that stand on the way of importing it lead to paralyze carrying out a compaign of preventing inoculation. Eventually, Iraq’s efforts are fruitless to control the disease . This means that the probability is high that the disease becomes settled in Iraq.

Many missions representing different international organizations visited Iraq. They made a reference to the volume of losses infected on the cattle resources due to the termination of producing the vaccine. One of their most essential recommendations is that this vital institution should be back in service to control the disease in Iraq. Achieving this recommendation would surely have its positive reflections on the neighbouring states. But the U.S.A. and its mean ally , Britain, firmly blocked any way to implement the recommendations. Their shameful stands went to the extent that they apposed supplying Iraq with emergency aids, such as lab equipment and appliances to culture animal tissues and diagnose kits despite the fact that notorious committee 661 approved the pack. Britain prevented two of its citizens, working with the FAO and the IAEA as experts of this disease and method of diagnoses, from visiting Iraq to after help to control it.

The rapid dissemination of the disease in a number of states and the fact that it strikes in neighbouring countries make it inevitable for the U.N and its specialized organization to take a serious and decisive stand to put this important institution back in operation. It has effectively participated in the combat of the disease. It was a reliable institution that enjoyed the confidence of the neighbouring states and many others all over the world.