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Voice of America 3/26/97

U-S/ IRAQ

INTRO: THE UNITED STATES IS MAKING CLEAR IT WILL KEEP ITS CURRENT POLICY OF ISOLATING THE IRAQI GOVERNMENT IN PLACE AS LONG AS SADDAM HUSSEIN REMAINS IN POWER, SAYING THE IRAQI LEADER'S INTENTIONS WILL NEVER BE PEACEFUL. IN HER FIRST MAJOR ADDRESS ON IRAQ, SECRETARY OF STATE MADELEINE ALBRIGHT SAYS SHE BELIEVES BAGHDAD WILL CONTINUE TO POSE A THREAT TO ITS NEIGHBORS AND THE WORLD EVEN IF IT FULFILLS UNITED NATIONS OBLIGATIONS AND DESTROYS ITS WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION. MORE FROM CORRESPONDENT NICK SIMEONE AT THE STATE DEPARTMENT.

TEXT: SECRETARY OF STATE ALBRIGHT SAYS THE CLINTON ADMINISTRATION CLEARLY BELIEVES SADDAM HUSSEIN HAS BEEN WEAKENED BY U-N SANCTIONS IMPOSED AT THE END OF THE GULF WAR SIX YEARS AGO AND NOTED THAT EVEN MEMBERS OF HIS OWN FAMILY HAVE TURNED AGAINST HIM.

BUT SPEAKING WEDNESDAY AT A CONFERENCE ON IRAQ AT WASHINGTON'S GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY, SHE POINTED TO CONTINUED IRAQI THREATS AGAINST ITS NEIGHBORS, INCLUDING KUWAIT AS WELL AS EFFORTS TO SKIRT U-N SANCTIONS DEMANDING BAGHDAD DESTROY ALL OF ITS CHEMICAL WEAPONS.

IN A POLICY THAT GOES BEYOND THAT OF SOME U-S ALLIES, SECRETARY ALBRIGHT MADE CLEAR THERE CAN BE NO THAW IN RELATIONS WITH BAGHDAD AS LONG AS PRESIDENT SADDAM REMAINS IN POWER.

IF THE PAST IS PROLOGUE, UNDER THE CURRENT GOVERNMENT, AN IRAQ RELEASED FROM SANCTIONS AND SCRUTINY WOULD PICK UP WHERE IT LEFT OFF A HALF DOZEN YEARS AGO, BEFORE THE MOTHER OF ALL COALITIONS STOPPED IT DEAD IN ITS TRACKS. FOR THESE REASONS, OUR POLICIES WILL NOT CHANGE.

RELATIONS BETWEEN WASHINGTON AND BAGHDAD ARE NOT LIKELY TO IMPROVE UNTIL HE IS OUT OF POWER.

CLEARLY A CHANGE IN IRAQ'S GOVERNMENT COULD LEAD TO A CHANGE IN U-S POLICY. SHOULD THAT OCCUR, WE WOULD STAND READY IN COORDINATION WITH OUR ALLIES AND FRIENDS, TO ENTER RAPIDLY INTO A DIALOGUE WITH THE SUCCESSOR REGIME.

AT THE SAME TIME, WASHINGTON WANTS TO MINIMIZE THE SUFFERINGS OF IRAQI CIVILIANS, THE SECRETARY OF STATE SAID OUR QUARREL IS NOT WITH THE PEOPLE OF IRAQ BUT WITH ITS LEADERSHIP. (SIGNED)

NEB/NJS/LWM

26-Mar-97 6:33 PM EST (2333 UTC)
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