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14 November 1997

TEXT: UN SECURITY COUNCIL STATEMENT ON IRAQ LATE NOVEMBER 13

(Condemns in strongest terms expulsion of inspectors) (550)
United Nations -- The U.N. Security Council late November 13
"condemned in the strongest terms" Iraq's expulsion of American
weapons inspectors and demanded "the immediate and unequivocal
revocation of this action."
The statement was read by Council President Huasun Qin of China at a
formal meeting just before midnight November 13 after negotiating
several hours over the language of the text.
The Council statement also "warned of the serious consequences of
Iraq's failure to comply immediately and fully and without conditions
or restrictions with its obligations" under the Council's Gulf War
cease-fire resolutions.
The United States requested the meeting after Iraq -- rejecting a
November 12 Council demand to rescind its expulsion order -- said
American UNSCOM employees must leave Iraq, traveling by road to
Jordan, by the end of the day and U.N. U-2 surveillance flights must
stop. The U.N. Special Commission overseeing the destruction of Iraqi
weapons (UNSCOM) then decided that it would withdraw all its personnel
except for a small staff to maintain its Baghdad operations center and
watch over UNSCOM helicopters.
U.S. Ambassador Bill Richardson said he was pleased by the Council's
statement.
"It is the second day in a row that the Council has shown unity, sent
an unmistakable signal to the Iraqis to comply with the United Nations
Security Council resolutions," Richardson said.
"We are also very pleased that the UNSCOM personnel have made it
safely across the border," the ambassador added.
"The Security Council stresses that the Government of Iraq has full
responsibility for ensuring the safety and security of the personnel
and equipment of the Special Commission and the IAEA (International
Atomic Energy Agency) and their inspection teams," the statement said.
Following is the text of the Council's Presidential statement:
U.N. SECURITY COUNCIL
Presidential Statement
November 13, 1997
The Security Council condemns in the strongest terms the unacceptable
decision of the Government of Iraq in expelling personnel of the
Special Commission of a specified nationality and thereby imposing
conditions on the Special Commission in contravention of relevant
Security Council resolutions which constitute the governing standard
of Iraqi compliance.
The Security Council demands the immediate and unequivocal revocation
of this action, which has prevented the Special Commission from
discharging its responsibilities under the relevant resolutions. The
Council recalls the statement of its President of 29 October 1997 in
which the Council warned of the serious consequences of Iraq's failure
to comply immediately and fully and without conditions or restrictions
with its obligations under the relevant resolutions. The Council
further demands, in accordance with its resolution 1137 (1997), that
Iraq comply immediately and fully with its obligations under the
relevant resolutions.
The Security Council expresses its support for the Special Commission
and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and stresses the
importance of their ensuring the implementation of all aspects of
their mandates, including their vital work in monitoring and
verification in Iraq, in accordance with the relevant resolutions of
the Council.
The Security Council stresses that the Government of Iraq has full
responsibility for ensuring the safety and security of the personnel
and equipment of the Special Commission and the IAEA and their
inspection teams.
(end text)