DATE=11/2/98 TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT NUMBER=2-241059 TITLE=CLINTON/IRAQ (L) BYLINE=DAVID GOLLUST DATELINE=WHITE HOUSE CONTENT= VOICED AT: INTRO: PRESIDENT CLINTON CONVENED HIS NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISERS (MONDAY) TO DISCUSS IRAQ'S DECISION TO HALT COOPERATION WITH U-N WEAPONS INSPECTIONS, WHICH MR. CLINTON DESCRIBES AS COMPLETELY UNACCEPTABLE. V-O-A'S DAVID GOLLUST REPORTS FROM THE WHITE HOUSE. TEXT: MR. CLINTON TOLD REPORTERS AFTER THE NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL MEETING -- THE SECOND IN AS MANY DAYS ON IRAQ -- THAT NO OPTIONS FOR RESPONDING TO SADDAM HUSSEIN'S LATEST MOVE WERE BEING RULED OUT. BUT THERE WERE NO ANNOUNCEMENTS OF ANY CHANGE IN U-S OR ALLIED DEPLOYMENTS IN THE GULF REGION, AND WHITE HOUSE SPOKESMAN JOE LOCKHART SAID U-S FORCES ALREADY IN THE AREA ARE CAPABLE OF DEALING AS HE PUT IT "QUICKLY AND FORCEFULLY" IF CALLED UPON TO ACT. SPEAKING AT WHITE HOUSE HEALTH CARE EVENT, MR. CLINTON DEPICTED THE LATEST TURN OF EVENTS AS ANOTHER ATTEMPT BY SADDAM HUSSEIN TO ESCAPE THE SANCTIONS IN PLACE AGAINST BAGHDAD SINCE THE END OF THE GULF WAR. INSTEAD OF DIVIDING THE WORLD COMMUNITY, HOWEVER, MR. CLINTON SAID THE GAMBIT HAS BACKFIRED AND ONLY STRENGHENED INTERNATIONAL RESOLVE, AS SEEN IN SATURDAY'S UNANIMOUS U-N SECURITY COUNCIL CONDEMNATION OF IRAQ: ///CLINTON ACTAULITY/// FOR IRAQ, THE ONLY PATH TO LIFTING SANCTIONS IS THROUGH COMPLETE COOPERATION WITH THE WEAPONS INSPECTORS, WITHOUT RESTRICTIONS, RUN-AROUNDS OR ROADBLOCKS. IN THE COMING DAYS WE WILL BE CONSULTING CLOSELY WITH OUR ALLIES AND OUR FRIENDS IN THE REGION. UNTIL THE INSPECTORS ARE BACK ON THE JOB, NO OPTIONS ARE OFF THE TABLE. ///END ACT/// MR. CLINTON SAID THE UNITED STATES WOULD BE CONSULTING CLOSELY WITH ITS ALLIES IN THE NEXT FEW DAY. IT WAS ANNOUNCED THAT DEFENSE SECRETARY WILLIAM COHEN, WHO BROKE OFF A TRIP TO ASIA BECAUSE OF THE LATEST CRISIS, IS BEING SENT TO EUROPE AND THE MIDDLE EAST AS PART OF THE PROCESS. THE UNITED STATES HAS KEPT A LARGE MILITARY PRESENCE IN THE GULF SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR WHEN IRAQ TRIGGERED ANOTHER CONFRONTATION BY TRYING TO BAR AMERICAN INSPECTORS FROM THE U-N CONTIGENT. THIS INCLUDES SOME 200 MILITARY PLANES AND A NAVAL FLEET LED BY THE NUCLEAR AIRCRAFT CARRIER EISENHOWER CAPABLE OF FIRING LONG-RANGE TOMAHAWK CRUISE MISSILES. (SIGNED) NEB/DAG/PT 02-Nov-98 4:16 PM EST (2116 UTC) NNNN Source: Voice of America .
