17 November 1997
TEXT: ALBRIGHT ADDRESSES UNSCOM INSPECTORS
(World "wants back its sight and hearing" inside Iraq) (790) Manama, Bahrain -- "Since the Gulf War ended, you here at UNSCOM have been the eyes and ears of the world," Secretary of State Madeleine Albright told a group of inspectors from the United Nations Special Commission here November 16. "Now, as the Security Council has repeatedly and unanimously declared, the world wants back its sight and its hearing inside Saddam Hussein's Iraq." "Common sense suggests that the reason UNSCOM inspections were challenged is because those inspections were about to uncover facts or materials the Iraqi regime does not want the world to see," Albright said. "We ought to consider what that means," she continued. "We know for example that Iraq has the expertise to produce weapons of mass destruction. We know Saddam Hussein has no compunction about using such weapons." Following is the text of Albright's remarks: (Begin text) SECRETARY ALBRIGHT: Thank you very much, thank you. It's very good to be with all of you here. When I left Washington Thursday night, this stop was not on my schedule, but I did want to take the chance to see you for three reasons. The first is to thank you on a personal basis for your service to world peace. You have sacrificed a great deal, spending weeks at a time away from home and family, working under difficult conditions, coping with hostility, obstruction and efforts to deceive. Every day you faced personal risk without flinching, without complaining, and I might add, without surrounding yourselves for protection with women and children. The second reason for my visit is that I wanted the world to see you and to understand what you represent. UNSCOM personnel are the instruments of no one country or region. Instead, you are a means for the enforcement of international law. Nationals from more than three dozen countries from all parts of the world have participated in your work. You report to the Security Council, which currently includes nations as large as China, and as small as Guinea Bissau. And as the Council's actions this past week reflect, when UNSCOM's inspections go forward, all the world gains confidence, and feels safer. When your work is obstructed, we all become less secure. The third reason I'm here is to emphasize what is at stake in the current dispute between Iraq and the United Nations. We cannot know for certain why Iraq chose this particular moment to choose this particular fight with UNSCOM inspectors. Certainly the contributing role that the United States plays within UNSCOM has not changed significantly during the past six years. But common sense suggests that the reason UNSCOM inspections were challenged is because those inspections ware about to uncover facts or materials the Iraqi regime does not want the world to see. Of course today because UNSCOM is not being allowed to do its job, the world is not seeing. We ought to consider what that means. We know for example that Iraq has the expertise to produce weapons of mass destruction. We know Saddam Hussein has no compunction about using such weapons, for he used chemical arms during the Iran-Iraq war. We know Iraq produced huge quantities of lethal biological warfare agents prior to operation Desert Storm. We know Iraq has lied at one time or another about virtually every aspect of its weapons of mass destruction programs. We believe Iraq retains missiles capable of delivering such weapons, and we have no proof whatsoever that the biological warfare agents that Iraq claims were destroyed years ago have, in fact, been destroyed. Despite all this the UNSCOM regime, coupled with other efforts to enforce UN resolutions, have done much to prevent Iraq from again threatening its neighbors or the world. With UNSCOM inspections and monitoring in place, the world can be sure that Iraqi efforts to deceive will be inhibited and limited in their effect. But without UNSCOM on the job we run an unacceptable risk that Saddam Hussein will miscalculate once again at the expense of regional security, and ultimately, at the expense of his own people. Since the Gulf War ended, you here at UNSCOM have been the eyes and ears of the world. Now, as the Security Council has repeatedly and unanimously declared, the world wants back its sight and its hearing inside Saddam Hussein's Iraq. I am confident that all the those who respect the law and love peace will not rest until that day arrives. Thank you once again for all the work you have done. Thank you in advance for all the work you again will have the chance to do. And may God bless you and keep you safe. (end text)
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