Voice of America 4/28/97
IRAQ / WEAPONS
BYLINE= ANDRE DE NESNERA
DATELINE= LONDON
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: U-N OFFICIALS IN NEW YORK ARE
ASSESSING FINDINGS BY THEIR WEAPONS
INSPECTION TEAM AFTER ITS LATEST VISIT
TO IRAQ. IN LONDON, V-O-A CORRESPONDENT
ANDRE DE NESNERA SPOKE TO THE HEAD OF
THAT U-N MISSION -- AND FILED THIS REPORT.
TEXT: BRITISH ARMY COLONEL TERRY
TAYLOR LED THE LATEST U-N INSPECTION
TEAM TO IRAQ LOOKING INTO THE COUNTRY'S
BIOLOGICAL WEAPONS PROGRAMS. HE SAYS
DURING HIS 10-DAY VISIT TO IRAQ IN MID-APRIL,
HE WAS ALLOWED TO VISIT EVERY FACILITY
HE REQUESTED TO SEE -- AND HIS REPORT
IS NOW BEING ANALYZED BY EXPERTS AT THE
UNITED NATIONS IN NEW YORK.
COLONEL TAYLOR SAYS HIS MISSION WAS
TO CONDUCT INVESTIGATIONS TO ASCERTAIN
WHETHER WHAT IRAQI OFFICIALS SAY ABOUT
THEIR BIOLOGICAL WEAPONS PROGRAM IS
CORRECT.
// TAYLOR ACT //
THEY HAVE DECLARED QUITE A LOT ABOUT
THEIR BIOLOGICAL PROGRAM. THEY HAVE
ADMITTED TO WEAPONIZATION, FOR EXAMPLE,
OF A RANGE OF AGENTS AND RESEARCH AND
DEVELOPMENT IN A NUMBER OF OTHER AGENTS.
SO WE ARE LOOKING AT DOCUMENTS AND
INTERVIEWING PEOPLE THAT HAVE BEEN
RELATED TO THOSE PROGRAMS AND FINDING
OUT MORE.
// END ACT //
THE U-N INSPECTOR DID NOT PROVIDE
DETAILS OF HIS FINDINGS. HE SAYS IT WOULD
BE PREMATURE TO RELEASE THEM SINCE
EXPERTS IN NEW YORK ARE STILL ASSESSING
HIS REPORT.
COLONEL TAYLOR SAYS WHAT IS KNOWN
IS THAT IRAQ IS STILL HIDING SOME SIGNIFICANT
INFORMATION ON ITS BIOLOGICAL WEAPONS
PROGRAMS. HE SAYS AMBASSADOR ROLF
EKEUS -- HEAD OF THE U-N COMMISSION IN
CHARGE OF IRAQI DISARMAMENT -- MADE
THAT POINT EARLIER THIS MONTH.
// 2ND TAYLOR ACT //
I DO NOT BELIEVE ANYBODY CAN BE SATISFIED
OVERALL WITH THE SITUATION, BECAUSE AS
ROLF EKEUS REPORTED TO THE SECURITY COUNCIL
ONLY RECENTLY, THERE IS STILL A LOT OF
INFORMATION THAT REMAINS TO BE GIVEN --
AND HE STILL BELIEVES THAT CERTAIN ASPECTS
OF THE PROGRAM AND EVEN EQUIPMENT AND
WEAPONS ARE STILL BEING HIDDEN.
// END ACT //
//OPT// THE WEAPONS EXPERT SAYS THE SPECIAL
U-N COMMISSION MUST CONTINUE TO WORK
HARD TO MAKE SURE IRAQ COMPLIES WITH
SECURITY COUNCIL RESOLUTIONS DEMANDING
FULL INFORMATION ON ITS BIOLOGICAL
WEAPONS PROGRAMS.
// 3RD TAYLOR ACT //
WE HAVE TO BE FULLY SATISFIED ABOUT
PAST PROGRAMS, THAT THEY REALLY HAVE
BEEN DISMANTLED. WE ALSO HAVE TO MAKE
CERTAIN WE HAVE IN PLACE AN EFFICIENT
AND EFFECTIVE MONITORING SYSTEM THAT
WILL GIVE US CONFIDENCE THAT THEY WILL
NOT RE-START THESE PROGRAMS -- AND THAT
IS A VERY COMPREHENSIVE AND CHALLENGING
TASK IN PRESENT CONDITIONS IN IRAQ.
// END ACT // //END OPT//
COLONEL TAYLOR CAUTIONED AGAINST ANY
RELAXATION OF U-N SANCTIONS AGAINST IRAQ.
HE SAID IF THEY ARE EASED, THEN THE WORK OF
U-N INSPECTORS WILL BECOME MUCH HARDER.
(SIGNED)
NEB/ADEN/PCF
28-Apr-97 1:13 PM EDT (1713 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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