News In Brief

Iraqi chemical-arms trail may lead to West Germany

West German Chancellor Helmut Kohl, concerned that Iraq could use a German-supplied pesticide plant near Baghdad to produce chemical weapons, has called for an investigation into the matter, a government spokesman said Sunday.

He said the Cabinet had discussed the issue last week, after being tipped off by the United States that Iraq could adapt the plant to produce poison gas for use in its war with Iran. The Frankfurt company that supplied the plant has denied it was meant to make chemical weapons, but said poison-gas production could not be completely ruled out.