*EPF504 01/23/2004
Text: David Kay Stepping Down as Head of Iraq Weapons Inspection Team
(CIA appointing Charles Duelfer, former UNSCOM official, as replacement) (720)

Director of the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) George Tenet announced January 23 that Special Advisor for Strategy regarding Iraqi Weapons of Mass Destruction Programs David Kay will be stepping down and succeeded by Charles A. Duelfer.

Tenet praised Kay for his "extraordinary service under dangerous and difficult circumstances," calling him "a model private citizen who willingly lent his unique expertise to his government in a time of need," according to a CIA press release.

Duelfer is currently a public policy scholar at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholar and served as Deputy Executive Chairman of the U.N. Special Commission on Iraq (UNSCOM) from 1993 until its termination in 2000. As special advisor, he will be based in Iraq and in charge of directing the overall approach for the search for Iraq's weapons of mass destruction.

Following is the text of the CIA press release:

(begin text)

U.S. Central Intelligence Agency
Director of Central Intelligence
Press Release
January 23, 2004

DCI ANNOUNCES DUELFER TO SUCCEED KAY AS SPECIAL ADVISOR

Director of Central Intelligence (DCI) George J. Tenet announced today that Dr. David Kay will be stepping down as his Special Advisor for Strategy regarding Iraqi Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) Programs. The DCI also announced that Dr. Kay will be succeeded by Charles A. Duelfer, who served as Deputy Executive Chairman of the UN Special Commission on Iraq (UNSCOM) from 1993 until its termination in 2000 and is currently a public policy scholar at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars.

Duelfer, 51, will be working closely with Major General Keith W. Dayton, who commands the Iraq Survey Group (ISG).

In making the announcement, Tenet praised Dr. Kay for his "extraordinary service under dangerous and difficult circumstances."

"David is a model private citizen who willingly lent his unique expertise to his government in a time of need," Tenet said. "At a time when our WMD hunt efforts were just beginning, David provided a critical strategic framework that enabled the ISG to focus the hunt for information on Saddam's WMD programs."

Dr. Kay will be returning to the private sector.

In accepting Dr. Kay's resignation and announcing Duelfer's appointment, Tenet said, "Building on the framework that David has put in place, I am very confident that Charlie and the ISG will continue to make progress in the months ahead in determining the status of the former Iraqi regime's WMD programs."

"Given his knowledge of Iraqi weapons programs and his understanding of the nature and extent of Iraqi efforts to conceal these programs, I can think of no one better suited to carry on this very important work than Charlie Duelfer," the DCI said.

In accepting the position, Duelfer said, "I'm honored that Director Tenet has asked me to tackle this challenging assignment. I'm approaching it with an open mind and am absolutely committed to following the evidence wherever it takes us."

In submitting his resignation, Dr Kay said: "It has been my honor and privilege to work with a tremendous group of men and women in Iraq, Qatar, and Washington. Despite arduous working conditions and an inhospitable and often threatening environment, the ISG, led by General Dayton, has performed its important mission with great skill and the utmost integrity. While there are many unresolved issues, I am confident that the ISG will do everything possible to answer remaining questions about the former Iraqi regime's WMD efforts."

Duelfer, like his predecessor, will be based in Iraq and will be in charge of directing the overall approach for the search for Iraq's weapons of mass destruction. ISG will continue to provide direct support to the Special Advisor.

Before joining UNSCOM in 1993, Duelfer was Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for arms control and multilateral defense matters. From 1990 to 1992, he was in charge of defense trade matters as the Director of the Center for Defense Trade and deputy to the Assistant Secretary of State for Political-Military Affairs. In this capacity, he had responsibility for arms transfers, munitions licensing, and conventional arms control. Duelfer has a B.A. from the University of Connecticut and a M.Sc. from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

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(Distributed by the Bureau of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)

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