DATE= 11/19/97
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-222934
TITLE=IRAQ DIPLOMACY -- SITUATIONER (L ONLY)
BYLINE=ELAINE JOHANSON
DATELINE=UNITED NATIONS
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: THE U-N OFFICIAL IN CHARGE OF WEAPONS INSPECTIONS IN IRAQ
-- RICHARD BUTLER -- BRIEFED THE SECURITY COUNCIL TODAY
(WEDNESDAY) AND WARNED OF THE SERIOUS CONSEQUENCES OF NOT GETTING
THE INSPECTIONS BACK ON TRACK SOON. DIPLOMATS IN NEW YORK, FOR
THE MOST PART, ARE FOCUSED ON A HIGH-LEVEL MEETING OF PERMANENT
COUNCIL MEMBERS IN GENEVA EARLY THURSDAY. V-O-A CORRESPONDENT
ELAINE JOHANSON REPORTS:
TEXT: DIPLOMACY IN NEW YORK HAS ENTERED A PERIOD OF SUSPENDED
ANIMATION. THE GENEVA TALKS COULD MEAN A BREAKTHROUGH THAT WOULD
ALLOW U-N INSPECTORS -- WITH AMERICANS INCLUDED -- TO GET BACK TO
THEIR WORK IN IRAQ.
CHIEF INSPECTOR RICHARD BUTLER -- JOINED BY OTHER WEAPONS EXPERTS
-- IS SAID TO HAVE WARNED THE SECURITY COUNCIL OF SERIOUS GAPS
IN IRAQ'S REPORTING ON CHEMICAL AND BIOLOGICAL WEAPONS, EVEN ITS
MISSILES. THEY PRESENTED CHARTS AND PHOTOGRAPHS TO SIGNAL THE
CRITICAL IMPORTANCE OF CONTINUING THE MONITORING.
U-S AMBASSADOR BILL RICHARDSON SAYS -- IF THE EXPERTS ARE SO
WORRIED --THERE IS NO REASON TO ANTICIPATE THE SECURITY COUNCIL
WILL BACK DOWN FROM ITS DEMAND FOR AN IMMEDIATE RESUMPTION OF THE
INSPECTIONS ON U-N TERMS:
//RICHARDSON ACT//
I DON'T KNOW ABOUT ANY COMPROMISES. WE HAVE A VERY
STRONG POSITION THAT IS NOT NEGOTIABLE AND THAT IS, FULL
RESTORATION OF UNSCOM (THE U-N INSPECTION COMMISSION)
AND ALL ITS ACTIVITIES UNCONDITIONALLY. THE OBJECTIVE
IS VERY CLEAR: TO PREVENT THE IRAQIS FROM THREATENING
THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY WITH WEAPONS OF MASS
DESTRUCTION.
//END ACT//
MEANWHILE, RUSSIAN AMBASSADOR SERGEI LAVROV SEEMS ESPECIALLY
SENSITIVE ABOUT FREQUENT REFERENCES IN THE PRESS TO THE ECONOMIC
MOTIVES BEHIND MOSCOW'S INTEREST IN TRYING TO DEFUSE THE CRISIS.
THE RUSSIAN AMBASSADOR SAYS IT'S TRUE MOSCOW WANTS THE SEVEN-YEAR
OLD TRADE EMBARGO ON IRAQ ENDED. BUT RUSSIA ALSO KNOWS, HE ADDS,
THAT BAGHDAD MUST COOPERATE UNCONDITIONALLY WITH THE SECURITY
COUNCIL BEFORE THAT CAN HAPPEN:
//LAVROV ACT//
THERE COULD BE NOTHING WRONG WITH BEING MOTIVATED BY
ECONOMIC INTERESTS, PROVIDED THE MEANS TO ACHIEVE THOSE
INTERESTS ARE ENTIRELY LEGITIMATE. AND IN THIS CASE,
YOU KNOW PERFECTLY WELL YOU CANNOT REMOVE SANCTIONS
UNLESS THE RESOLUTIONS OF THE SECURITY COUNCIL ABOUT
DISARMING IRAQ AND ABOUT ENSURING SAFETY IN THE PERSIAN
GULF REGION ARE IMPLEMENTED.
//END ACT//
DIPLOMATS IN NEW YORK ARE NOT COMMENTING ON THE POSSIBILITY OF
A REPORTED CONCESSION TO IRAQ INVOLVING AN ADJUSTMENT OF THE
NATIONALITY BALANCE ON THE INSPECTION TEAMS. BAGHDAD WANTS MORE
REPRESENTATION FROM OTHER KEY MEMBERS OF THE SECURITY COUNCIL --
LIKE RUSSIA AND FRANCE, PERHAPS EVEN CHINA -- TO OFFSET THE
AMERICAN PRESENCE.
//REST OPT//
IF THE IDEA IS STILL ALIVE, U-N OFFICIALS BELIEVE IT WILL BE
DECIDED IN GENEVA ALONG WITH OTHER PROPOSALS ON THE TABLE. THE
COUNCIL HAS SHOWN SOME INTEREST IN EXPANDING THE LIST OF
HUMANITARIAN SUPPLIES, BAGHDAD COULD PURCHASE UNDER A SPECIAL
OIL-FOR-FOOD DEAL THAT ALLOWS IRAQ TO SELL A LIMITED AMOUNT OF
OIL UNDER U-N SUPERVISION. (SIGNED)
NEB/EJ/RRM
19-Nov-97 2:42 PM EST (1942 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
.
|
NEWSLETTER
|
| Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list |
|
|
|
