AMBASSADOR GNEHM STATEMENT ON IRAQI SANCTIONS REVIEW - 01 May 1997
Mr. President, the last two months have shown no significant movement
by Iraq towards fulfilling its obligations. This is the 37th sanctions
review and represents three years that I have participated in such
reviews. I cannot say that Iraq is any closer to seeing the sanctions
lifted than it appeared at the first review I attended, the 19th, in
May 1994.
The last two months have seen an ongoing and concerted Iraqi effort to
provoke the Council, to insult the Sanctions Committee and to play
games with the clear requirements of Resolution 661. These maneuvers
and the continuing implementation of UNSCR 986, have led Baghdad to
delude itself that there is a short cut to the lifting of sanctions,
that sanctions can be eroded a little at a time, that something less
than complete fulfillment will somehow satisfy the Security Council.
This belief is just plain wrong. There is no short cut. In fact that
line of logic is likely to prolong sanctions. Let me explain why.
First, as the Special Commission's report made clear, Baghdad has not
yet taken a political decision to end its weapons programs and stop
its deliberate concealment and evasion activities. Without that
decision, Iraq might continue to answer questions in a piecemeal
fashion, but it will not convince either the Commission or the Council
that it has given up its ambitions to produce weapons of mass
destruction. What is required instead is the fundamental decision by
Iraq to terminate those programs.
Secondly, Baghdad seems to believe that it need only deal with UNSCOM
to get the oil embargo lifted. This is the reason it continues, as it
has for six years, to ignore stolen property, missing persons and
other vital issues. I know these issues are important to other Council
members, but Iraq is not yet convinced that the Council cares about
these issues. And sanctions will not be lifted until they are
adequately addressed.
If these approaches continue, the next year will bring us no closer to
ending sanctions than the last year has. In my government~'s view,
those who encourage Iraq in these approaches will share the
responsibility for prolonging, not shortening, the duration of
sanctions.
There is no new requirement here. Iraq knows the consistent position
of the United States and many other Council members: the sanctions
regime will not be modified before Iraq has proved its peaceful
intentions by substantial compliance with all of its obligations under
Resolutions 687 and 688. Without question, this means removing the
threat Iraq's weapons programs pose to the entire region by full
cooperation with the Special Commission. No less, it includes
returning the government archives, military equipment and other
property Iraq stole from Kuwait; it includes full cooperation with the
ICRC in accounting for Kuwaiti and other missing persons; and it
includes ending its support for terrorism and meeting the other
requirements of the Council.
As the last report of the Special Commission makes clear, Iraq has not
yet submitted to the Commission a ~~Full, final and complete
declaration'~ in any of the fields -- chemical, biological and
ballistic missiles -- that was not deliberately misleading. To take
just a few examples from the UNSCOM report: on chemical weapons --
"The Commission can only conclude (that equipment and technology for
large scale production of the nerve agent VX) are being retained in
order to resume proscribed production."
On biological weapons -- The report notes that a declaration Iraq made
only four months ago on the destruction of missile warheads filled
with biological agents was found to be false. On ballistic missiles --
"In an attempt to mislead the Commission, Iraq had tried to falsify
evidence of the destruction" of missile components.
This Council must continue to display unhesitating support for the
Special Commission and vigilance toward Iraq because, as the report
makes clear, "even a limited inventory of long-range missiles would be
a source of deep concern if these missiles were fitted with warheads
filled with VX." The Council has an obligation to the security of the
states of the Middle East to be one hundred percent certain that no
such weapons or programs are retained by Iraq.
Finally, I wish to note with special concern that Iraq has put the
lives of UNSCOM personnel in jeopardy by reckless interference with
UNSCOMs aerial operations. This kind of behavior is typical, but
remains unacceptable.
Mr. President, until Iraq shows a fundamentally changed approach to
its obligations, there is no basis on which to discuss the
modification of the sanctions regime. Thank you.
(End text)
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