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Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)

ACCESSION

ACCESSION NUMBER:295990
FILE ID:POL304
DATE:07/21/93
TITLE:U.N. SECURITY COUNCIL KEEPS SANCTIONS ON IRAQ (07/21/93)
TEXT:*93072104.POL
U.N. SECURITY COUNCIL KEEPS SANCTIONS ON IRAQ
(Says not enough progress seen)  (510)
By Judy Aita
USIA United Nations Correspondent
United Nations -- Despite reports of Iraq's capitulation to allow cameras
at ballistic missile test sites, the U.N. Security Council decided July 21
to keep in effect the wide-ranging sanctions regime against Baghdad.
Council President David Hannay of Britain said following a closed meeting
that after hearing all the opinions expressed in the course of the session,
he concluded "there was no agreement that the necessary conditions existed
for a modification of the regimes established" in the cease-fire demands.
Meanwhile, Ambassador Rolf Ekeus, chairman of the special commission
overseeing the destruction of Iraqi weapons (UNSCOM) is expected to brief
the council July 22 on the results of his visit to Baghdad to head off a
confrontation over Iraq's refusal to accept the U.N.'s long-term monitoring
of its weapons programs, starting with the cameras at the rocket test
sites.
According to press reports, Ekeus said that Iraq has now agreed to the
installation of the cameras.
1annay pointed out that the council's sanctions review, which is conducted
every 60 days, also "is related to the government of Iraq's policies and
practices with regard to the frontier (with Kuwait); with regard to
detainees from Kuwait; with regard to the population of Iraq; and the
attitude of the government in the Kurdish areas and in the Shia southern
areas."
The decision to keep the sanctions in place as they are, he said, "is not a
judgment in any way...on the report Ambassador Ekeus is going to give us on
his progress on weapons of mass destruction."
Iraq, which just suspended talks with U.N. officials on the sale of $1,600
million worth of oil, has been hopeful that its compliance record on the
weapons of mass destruction will lead to the easing of sanctions,
especially to allow more oil to be sold.
However, the council also appears to be holding firm to its requirement that
only the amount previously set can be sold under the strict regulation of
the United Nations and the proceeds be used -- also under strict U.N.
monitoring -- to pay for humanitarian aid supplies and other war-related
debts.
Iraq asked for the suspension of the oil talks so the delegation could
return to Baghdad for instructions.  Hannay said the council has no
information on when the talks might resume.
He said Iraq's acceptance of the surveillance cameras "can be a step
forward" on the path to lifting sanctions, but "it will only be one of many
steps that will be necessary."
"What matters is the implementation," Hannay said.  "It is deeds, not words,
that matter and that is why talks will be needed in August and September to
flesh all that out to see if we really are taking a step forward or
appearing to do so" on the weapons monitoring.
"At the moment none of that is at all clear," he said.
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