May 8, 1997
TEXT OF A LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT TO
THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
AND THE PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE OF THE SENATE
Dear Mr. Speaker: (Dear Mr. President:)
Consistent with the Authorization for Use of Military Force Against
Iraq Resolution (Public Law 102-1) and as part of my effort to keep
the Congress fully informed, I am reporting on the status of efforts
to obtain Iraq's compliance with the resolutions adopted by the United
Nations Security Council (UNSC). This report covers the period from
March 7 to the present.
Saddam Hussein remains a threat to his people and the region and the
United States remains determined to contain the threat of Saddam's
regime. Speaking on behalf of the Administration on March 26, 1997, in
her first major foreign policy address, Secretary of State Madeleine
Albright stated that the United States looks forward to the day when
Iraq rejoins the family of nations as a responsible and law-abiding
member and that, until then, containment must continue. Secretary
Albright also made clear that Saddam's departure would make a
difference and that, should a change in Iraq's government occur, the
United States would stand ready to enter rapidly into a dialogue with
the successor regime.
In terms of military operations, the United States and our coalition
partners continue enforcement of the no-fly zones over northern Iraq
under Operation Northern Watch, the successor mission to Operation
Provide Comfort, and over southern Iraq through Operation Southern
Watch. On April 22, 1997, Saddam Hussein announced that Iraqi military
helicopters would be flown through the southern no-fly zone for the
purpose of transporting Iraqi pilgrims from the vicinity of the
Iraqi-Saudi border to various areas in Iraq, publicly disregarding the
prohibition against operating Iraqi rotary and fixed wing aircraft
south of the 33rd parallel. The next day, 10 helicopters crossed the
southern no-fly zone and arrived at a ground staging base in western
Iraq, just north of the Iraqi-Saudi border, to await the arrival of
the pilgrims. Because of the possible danger to innocent Iraqi
civilians, the non-threatening nature of these flights, and the
religious sensitivity of the situation, the United States and our
coalition partners agreed not to take military action to intercept the
helicopters.
On April 25-27, the same Iraqi helicopters returned the pilgrims to
their homes in various locations throughout Iraq, transiting the
northern and southern no-fly zones in the process. Again, the United
States and its coalition partners decided not to act against these
flights for humanitarian and policy reasons. We have made clear to the
Government of Iraq and to all other relevant parties, however, that
the United States and its partners will continue to enforce both
no-fly zones, and that we reserve the right to respond appropriately
and decisively to further Iraqi provocations.
In addition to our air operations, we will continue to maintain a
strong U.S. presence in the region in order to deter Saddam. United
States force levels include land- and carrier-based aircraft, surface
warships, a Marine amphibious task force, a Patriot missile battalion,
and a mechanized battalion task force deployed in support of
USCINCCENT operations. To enhance force protection throughout the
region, additional military security personnel have been deployed for
continuous rotation. USCINCCENT continues to closely monitor the
security situation in the region to ensure adequate force protection
is provided for all deployed forces.
United Nations Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 949, adopted in
October 1994, demands that Iraq not utilize its military or any other
forces to threaten its neighbors or U.N. operations in Iraq and that
it not redeploy troops or enhance its military capacity in southern
Iraq. In view of Saddam's accumulating record of unreliability, it is
prudent to retain a significant U.S. force presence in the region in
order to maintain the capability to respond rapidly to possible Iraqi
aggression or threats against its neighbors.
Since my last report, the Government of Iraq has continued to flout
its obligations under UNSC resolutions in other ways. Under the terms
of relevant UNSC resolutions, Iraq must grant the United Nations
Special Commission on Iraq (UNSCOM) inspectors immediate,
unconditional, and unrestricted access to any location in Iraq they
wish to examine, and access to any Iraqi official whom they wish to
interview, so that UNSCOM may fully discharge its mandate to ensure
that Iraq's weapons of mass destruction (WMD) program has been
eliminated. Iraq continues, as it has for the past 6 years, to fail to
live up either to the letter or the spirit of this commitment. Of
particular concern is UNSCOM's report to the Security Council of
serious incidents involving repeated Iraqi threats to shoot down
UNSCOM aircraft, an Iraqi escort helicopter flying dangerously close
to the Commission's aircraft to force it to change direction, and
Iraqi personnel aboard an UNSCOM helicopter attempting to wrest
control of the aircraft.
On April 11, UNSCOM Chairman Rolf Ekeus reported to the Security
Council that resolution of the remaining questions about Iraq's WMD
programs would require a "major political decision" on the part of
Iraq's leadership to "give up, once and for all, all capabilities and
ambition to retain or acquire the proscribed weapons." The UNSCOM
continues to believe that Iraq instead maintains significant numbers
of operational SCUD missiles, possibly with CBW warheads. In early
April, UNSCOM also asked Iraq to withdraw its "full, final, and
complete declaration" regarding its biological weapons programs
because it contained obvious inaccuracies and fabrications, and to
submit a new one. As long as the Iraqi leadership refuses to cooperate
fully with U.N. weapons inspectors, UNSCOM will be impeded in its
efforts to fulfill its mandate. We will continue to fully support the
mandate and the efforts of UNSCOM to obtain Iraqi compliance with all
relevant U.N. resolutions.
Implementation of UNSCR 1051 continues. It provides for a mechanism to
monitor Iraq's effort to reacquire proscribed weapons capabilities by
requiring that Iraq notify a joint unit of UNSCOM and the
International Atomic Energy Agency in advance of any imports of
dual-use items.
Similarly, countries must provide timely notification of exports to
Iraq of dual-use items. Regarding northern Iraq, the United States
continues to lead efforts to increase security and stability in the
north and minimize opportunities for Baghdad or Tehran to threaten
Iraqi citizens there. Acting Assistant Secretary of State for Near
Eastern Affairs David Welch led a U.S. delegation to northern Iraq on
April 3 and 4, the first visit to the north by a U.S. official since
Saddam's attack against the region in September 1996, and the first
visit at this level in several years. Welch met with leaders of the
two main Iraqi Kurd groups, Massoud Barzani of the Kurdistan
Democratic Party (KDP) and Jalal Talabani of the Patriotic Union of
Kurdistan (PUK). Both Iraqi Kurd leaders reaffirmed their support for
U.S. policy and their commitment to cooperate with us through the
Ankara reconciliation process. Welch also met with Iraqi Assyrian and
Turkoman political leaders, PMF personnel, and U.N. officials.
Regarding the Ankara process to help the PUK and the KDP resolve their
differences, we have facilitated three rounds of higher-level talks,
along with our British and Turkish partners. Our immediate goals in
the process are to focus on strengthening the U.S.-brokered cease-fire
of October 23, 1996, which continues to hold, and on encouraging
political reconciliation between the PUK and KDP.
The United States is providing political, financial, and logistical
support for a neutral, indigenous Peace Monitoring Force (PMF) in
northern Iraq that has demarcated the cease-fire line and monitors the
cease-fire. Our support is being provided in the form of commodities
and services in accordance with a drawdown I directed on December 11,
1996, and in the form of funds to be used to provide other non-lethal
assistance in accordance with a separate determination made by former
Secretary of State Christopher on November 10, 1996. The PMF began
full deployment in mid-April, and has already succeeded in resolving
several troublesome incidents in violation of the cease-fire.
The PMF has also helped the groups move forward on several other
confidence-building measures, including a mutual release on April 14
of approximately 70 detainees from each Kurd group. The two Iraqi Kurd
groups also continue to work on reconciliation efforts, including an
initial meeting on March 12 of a joint Higher Coordination Committee
to improve cooperation on civilian services such as electricity and
health. Local representatives of the two Kurd groups, the three
countries, and the PMF continue to meet biweekly in Ankara and move
forward on other confidence-building measures.
Security conditions in northern Iraq nonetheless remain tenuous at
best, with Iranian and PKK (Kurdistan Workers Party) activity adding
to the ever-present threat from Baghdad. All our efforts under the
Ankara process, like all our efforts concerning Iraq, maintain support
for the unity and territorial integrity of Iraq.
Implementation of UNSCR 986 is proceeding. The oil-related provisions
of UNSCR 986, which authorized Iraq to sell up to $2 billion of oil
during an initial 180-day period (with the possibility of UNSC renewal
of subsequent 180-day periods) went into effect on December 10, 1996.
The first shipments of food and humanitarian goods purchased with
Iraqi oil proceeds started to arrive in Iraq on March 20.
UNSCR 986 requires that the proceeds of this limited oil sale, all of
which must be deposited in a U.N. escrow account, will be used to
purchase food, medicine, and other materials and supplies for
essential civilian needs for all Iraqi citizens and to fund vital U.N.
activities regarding Iraq. Critical to the success of UNSCR 986 is
Iraq's willingness to follow through on its commitments under 986 to
allow the United Nations to monitor the distribution of food and
medical supplies to the Iraqi people.
During the first 90 days since implementation, Iraq sold just over $1
billion worth of oil in accordance with the terms of UNSCR 986.
Significant delays in implementing distribution of humanitarian goods
-- caused, in part, by Iraqi efforts to impose new restrictions on the
freedom of access and movement of U.N. monitors -- made it impossible
for the U.N. Secretary General to report on the adequacy of
distribution and monitoring procedures during the first 90 days. We
will continue to monitor the situation closely.
Iraq continues to stall and obfuscate rather than work in good faith
toward accounting for the hundreds of Kuwaitis and third-country
nationals who disappeared at the hands of Iraqi authorities during the
occupation. It has also failed to return all of the stolen Kuwaiti
military equipment and the priceless Kuwaiti cultural and historical
artifacts that were looted during the occupation.
The human rights situation throughout Iraq remains unchanged. Iraq's
repression of its Shi'a population continues with policies that are
destroying the Marsh Arabs' way of life in southern Iraq, as well as
the ecology of the southern marshes. Saddam Hussein shows no signs of
complying with UNSCR 688, which demands that Iraq cease the repression
of its own people. On April 16, the U.N. Human Rights Commission
passed a resolution strongly condemning the Baghdad regime's continued
human rights abuses. That same day, the Administration announced
support for an effort by various Iraqi opposition groups and
non-governmental organizations to document Iraqi war crimes and other
violations of international humanitarian law. This effort, known as
INDICT, seeks ultimately to ensure that Saddam Hussein and other
members of his regime are brought to justice before an international
tribunal. We are in touch with organizers of INDICT and other parties
to discuss the best means to move forward.
The Multinational Interception Force (MIF) is facing an increased
challenge from smugglers and Iran. As I have noted in previous
reports, these smugglers use the territorial waters of Iran to avoid
the MIF inspection in the Northern Gulf. With the help of the Iranian
government, which profits from these activities by charging protection
fees, these smugglers are able to export over 70,000 metric tons of
gas oil through the Gulf each month. This represents a significant
increase from the amount included in my last report. We are working
closely with our allies in the Gulf and with our MIF partners to
develop new strategies to curb these violations of the sanctions
regime.
Although MIF exchanges with the regular Iranian naval units have been
professional and courteous, Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps naval
units have been much more aggressive in confronting the MIF and are
actively involved in aiding the smugglers. The MIF is acting with good
judgment and caution in its encounters with Iran.
Our objective is to enforce sanctions -- not to engage in unproductive
encounters with Iran. We regularly provide detailed briefings
regarding developments in MIF sanctions enforcement to our MIF
partners and Gulf Cooperation Council allies. We also are working
closely through our mission in New York with the U.N. Sanctions
Committee and like-minded allies on our approach toward Iran and
sanctions violators, generally.
The MIF continues to process the maritime traffic involved in lifting
oil from the Mina Al Bakr offshore terminal and the delivery of
much-needed humanitarian supplies to Umm Qasr in Iraq. So far, those
operations are proceeding smoothly. The smuggling trade, however,
continues to force the MIF to devote scarce resources to sanctions
enforcement. This has resulted in fewer ships available to process the
legal humanitarian shipments that bring food and other supplies to
Iraq under UNSCR 986.
The United Nations Compensation Commission (UNCC), established
pursuant to UNSCR 687, continues to resolve claims against Iraq
arising from Iraq's unlawful invasion and occupation of Kuwait. The
UNCC has issued over 1 million awards worth approximately $5.2
billion. With the advent of oil sales under UNSCR 986, 30 percent of
the proceeds are being allocated to the Compensation Fund to pay
awards and finance operations of the UNCC. Initial payments out of the
Compensation Fund are currently being made on awards in the order in
which the UNCC has approved them, in installments of $2,500.00. In
January 1997, the United States Government submitted claims totaling
approximately $8.8 million for expenses incurred in the efforts to
assess and respond to environmental damage in the Persian Gulf region
caused by Iraq's unlawful invasion and occupation of Kuwait.
To conclude, Iraq remains a serious threat to regional peace and
stability. I remain determined to see Iraq comply fully with all of
its obligations under U.N. Security Council resolutions. My
Administration will continue to oppose any relaxation of sanctions
until Iraq demonstrates its peaceful intentions through such
compliance.
I appreciate the support of the Congress for our efforts and shall
continue to keep the Congress informed about this important issue.
Sincerely,
WILLIAM J. CLINTON
(End text)
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