ACCESSION NUMBER:00000
FILE ID:96031902.NNE
DATE:03/19/96
TITLE:19-03-96 TEXT: SECURITY COUNCIL STATEMENT ON IRAQ
TEXT:
(Council demands unimpeded access for weapons inspectors) (640)
United Nations -- The Security Council March 19 declared that Iraq's
delays in allowing U.N. weapons inspectors into suspected weapons
sites "constitute clear violations" of the Gulf War cease-fire
agreement.
At a formal meeting, Council President Legwaila Legwaila of Botswana
read a statement on behalf of the 15 members saying that "the council
demands that the Government of Iraq allow the Special Commission
inspection teams immediate, unconditional and unrestricted access to
all sites designated by the commission for inspection in accordance
with the relevant resolutions of the council."
On March 18 the chairman of the Special Commission overseeing the
destruction of Iraqi weapons (UNSCOM) reported to the council that
Baghdad had been systematically denying U.N. weapons inspectors access
to Iraqi facilities as they tried to be sure that Iraq has destroyed
all the chemical, biological, nuclear, and ballistic weapons banned by
the cease-fire agreement (Security Council resolution 687).
UNSCOM Chairman Rolf Ekeus said that Iraq denied access to sites to
the U.N. weapons inspectors five times between March 8 and March 17.
This latest series of inspections are the result of UNSCOM's analysis
of the information it received in August and September 1995, both from
a cache of documents from Iraq officials and from Iraqi defector
General Hussein Kamal, who was killed after returning to Iraq earlier
this year.
The council also called the Iraqi delays "unacceptable," and
reiterated its full support for UNSCOM's inspections.
Following is the text of the council statement:
(Begin text)
The Security Council has noted with growing concern that the incident
described in the letter of 9 March 1996 from the Executive Chairman of
the Special Commission to the president of the Security council
(S/1996/182) and the further incident on 11 March 1996 in which an
inspection team was again not allowed immediate and unconditional
access to a site designated by the Commission under its resolution 687
(1991) were followed by further such incidents on 14 and 15 March
1996. In all of these cases access was subsequently granted only after
unacceptable delays.
The Security Council reiterates its full support for the Special
Commission in the conduct of its inspections and the other tasks
entrusted to it by the Council.
The Security Council notes the letter of 17 March 1996 to its
president from the Deputy Prime Minister of Iraq (S/1996/204). It
recalls that, under paragraph 9 (b) (i) of section C of Security
Council resolution 687 (1991), Iraq is required to permit "immediate
on-site inspection of Iraq's biological, chemical and missile
capabilities, based on Iraq's declarations and the designation of any
additional locations by the Special Commission itself." By its
resolution 707 (1991), the council also expressly demanded that Iraq
allow the Special Commission, the International Atomic Energy Agency
and their inspection teams immediate, unconditional and unrestricted
access to any and all areas, facilities, equipment, records and means
of transportation which they wish to inspect." The obligation was
furthermore confirmed in the Commission's plan for ongoing monitoring
and verification which was approved by the Security Council in
resolution 715 (1991); in this context the Council recalls the notes
from the Secretary-General of 21 July 1993 (S/26127) and 1 December
1993 (S/26825).
The Security Council considers that Iraq's delays in permitting the
inspection team recently in Iraq access to the sites concerned
constitute clear violations by Iraq of the provisions of resolutions
687 (1991), 707 (1991) and 715 (1991). The Council demands that the
Government of Iraq allow the Special Commission inspection teams
immediate, unconditional and unrestricted access to all sites
designated by the Commission for inspection in accordance with the
relevant resolutions of the Council.
(End text)
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