31 October 1997
UNSCOM TO RESUME NORMAL OPERATIONS IN IRAQ USING AMERICANS
(Richardson: U.S. supports decision) (920) By Judy Aita USIA United Nations Correspondent United Nations -- The head of the Special Commission overseeing the destruction of Iraqi weapons (UNSCOM), Richard Butler, announced October 31 that he is ordering the resumption of normal operations in Iraq with all UNSCOM personnel regardless of nationality beginning November 3. Butler made the announcement after a two-hour private meeting with the Security Council that was called after Iraq blocked the entry of three American weapons inspectors into the country. The United States is supporting the United Nations decision to resume operations in Iraq using U.S. personnel, U.S. Ambassador Bill Richardson said. Butler briefed the council on the details of the latest incident with Iraq. Eight hours after the Security Council officially rejected Baghdad's decision to bar Americans working for UNSCOM, Iraqi officials at Habbaniyah airfield north west of Baghdad "advised UNSCOM officials present at the airfield that the three officials who were of United States nationality would not be allowed to enter Iraq," Butler said. Two of the officials were UNSCOM employees, the third an officer of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), which is working on the destruction of the nuclear weapons program for UNSCOM. They were part of a regular rotation of staff and had arrived in Iraq on a U.N. plane from Bahrain, where UNSCOM also maintains a field office. "We believe Iraq is in clear violation of United Nations resolutions and the ball is in their court to redress their violations," Richardson told journalists after the council meeting. Richardson said that "the United Nations Security Council has acted with unanimity. We are supporting Ambassador Butler's decision to resume operations on Monday with all his team.... We support his decision to keep the Americans there." "The Security Council feels very strongly that Ambassador Butler's and UNSCOM's work must resume and the first ... reactions that deal with Iraqi actions will come from the United Nations," the U.S. ambassador said. Richardson also said he supports Butler's assessment that "Iraq was in material breach of the (council's cease-fire) resolution" which established Iraq's necessity to cooperate with UNSCOM and IAEA. "This is not an attack against the United States, this is an Iraqi attack on the United Nations Security Council and the United Nations," he said. "The ball is in the Iraqis' court. It will be a very serious violation" if Iraq does not allow UNSCOM to proceed with its field investigations, Richardson said. "They have already (had) many non-compliance violations and it is in their best interest to abide by the United Nations Security Council to allow UNSCOM to operate unimpeded," Richardson said. Diplomats said that over the weekend "diplomatic channels" would be used to try to convince Iraq not to expel the Americans on November 5. British Ambassador Sir John Weston said that the council meeting, while not issuing a formal decision, was a "useful and constructive session ... primarily to demonstrate that we meant what we said when we intended to remain actively seized of the situation." "It is clear there is absolutely unanimous support for the special commission and for Ambassador Butler and IAEA. It is clear that everybody stands by the formal presidential statement the council made a couple of days ago. The time that we now have over the weekend will be used to maximize diplomatic efforts by all concerned," the British ambassador said. Butler told journalists after the meeting that he "will issue instructions now for the suspension of UNSCOM activities to end with resumption of all normal work in Iraq, including in the field beginning Monday morning. All nationalities, members of the UNSCOM team, will go to work and will remain in Iraq." Over the weekend will be the "beginning of the full range of diplomatic activity at all levels and for any interested participants to try to deal with some of the larger problems that have been raised by Iraq's policy decision," Butler said. Earlier, Butler had reported to the council that Iraq's latest action in blocking the entrance of the three Americans "departs from and extends the measures foreshadowed in the letter of 29 October from Deputy Prime Minister Tariq Aziz ... which referred to Iraq's demand that officers of United States nationality leave Iraq within seven days, beginning at 17000 hours 29 October (New York time)." "No mention was made of action to prevent the entry into Iraq of United Nations officials of United States nationality prior to the expiration of that period specified by Iraq," Butler said. The Security Council October 29 issued a presidential statement condemning Iraq and warned of "serious consequences" if Baghdad did not allow the U.N. to operate as it sees fit. A presidential statement requires the agreement of all 15 council members. "The Security Council condemns the decision of the Government of Iraq to try to dictate the terms of its compliance with its obligations to cooperate with the Special Commission. It demands that Iraq cooperate fully, in accordance with the relevant resolutions without conditions or restrictions, with the Special Commission in the implementation of its mandate," the statement said. Butler suspended operations in Iraq October 29 and canceled talks with Iraqi officials set for October 31 after being told by Baghdad that American weapons inspectors employed by UNSCOM will not be allowed in the country and those already there must leave within seven days.
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