DATE= 11/9/97 TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT NUMBER=2-222386 TITLE=IRAQ/U-N (L) BYLINE=DOUGLAS ROBERTS DATELINE=CAIRO CONTENT= VOICED AT: INTRO: THE CRISIS BETWEEN IRAQ AND THE UNITED NATIONS IS MOVING INTO A CRITICAL STAGE. IRAQ DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER TARIQ AZIZ IS ENROUTE TO NEW YORK WHERE THE SECURITY COUNCIL IS SCHEDULED TO CONVENE MONDAY TO DISCUSS BAGHDAD'S CONTINUING REFUSAL TO ALLOW U-S CITIZENS TO PARTICIPATE IN THE WORK OF THE U-N WEAPONS COMMISSION. BUT THERE ARE FEARS THE CRISIS COULD BOIL OVER BEFORE THE SECURITY COUNCIL MEETING, AS WE HEAR FROM MIDDLE EAST CORRESPONDENT DOUGLAS ROBERTS. TEXT: ACCORDING TO BAGHDAD NEWSPAPER REPORTS, IRAQI AIR DEFENSE UNITS AROUND THE COUNTRY ARE ON FULL ALERT, READY TO CARRY OUT ORDERS TO SHOOT DOWN U-S RECONNAISSANCE PLANES, ON LOAN TO THE U-N TO MONITOR IRAQI WEAPONS SITES. THE RECONNAISSANCE FLIGHTS WERE TEMPORARILY SUSPENDED LAST WEEK AS A TEAM OF U-N DIPLOMATS TRAVELLED TO BAGHDAD IN WHAT PROVED AN UNSUCCESSFUL ATTEMPT TO RESOLVE THE CRISIS. THE HEAD OF THE U-N WEAPONS COMMISSION, AUSTRALIAN DIPLOMAT RICHARD BUTLER, HAS SAID THE FLIGHTS OVER IRAQ WILL RESUME MONDAY. AMERICAN OFFICIALS HAVE WARNED BAGHDAD ANY ATTEMPT TO SHOOT DOWN THE PLANES WOULD BE CONSIDERED AN ACT OF WAR. AMID THE RISING TENSION, IRAQ MAINTAINED ITS REFUSAL TO ALLOW U-S CITIZENS TO PARTICIPATE IN THE U-N WEAPONS INSPECTIONS. THREE TEAMS OF INSPECTORS SET OUT (SUNDAY) FROM THEIR BAGHDAD HEADQUARTERS TO CONTINUE PROBES INTO IRAQ'S CHEMICAL AND BIOLOGICAL WEAPONS PROGRAMS AND ITS MISSILE PRODUCTION CAPABILITY. BUT IRAQI OFFICIALS REFUSED TO ALLOW AMERICAN MEMBERS OF THE TEAMS TO ENTER WEAPONS SITES, AND THE INSPECTIONS WERE CALLED OFF FOR THE SEVENTH DAY IN A ROW. U-N OFFICIALS HAVE VOICED FEARS IRAQ MAY BE TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THE HALT IN INSPECTIONS TO CONCEAL EVIDENCE OR MOVE AHEAD WITH THE PRODUCTION OF BANNED WEAPONS. THE U-N HAS ACCUSED IRAQ OF REMOVING EQUIPMENT FROM SOME SITES AND TAMPERING WITH U-N SURVEILLANCE CAMERAS. IRAQ DENIES IT HAS CARRIED OUT PROHIBITED ACTIVITY. IRAQI OFFICIALS ACKNOWLEDGE SOME EQUIPMENT WAS MOVED, BUT ONLY AS A PRECAUTIONARY MEASURE OUT OF CONCERN OVER THE POSSIBILITY OF U-S ATTACKS. BAGHDAD IS DEMANDING CHANGES IN THE STRUCTURE OF THE U-N WEAPONS COMMISSION, TO REDUCE THE LEVEL OF AMERICAN PARTICIPATION. IRAQ ALSO WANTS THE U-N TO SET A TIMETABLE FOR THE LIFTING OF THE ECONOMIC SANCTIONS IMPOSED AFTER ITS 1990 INVASION OF KUWAIT. SECURITY COUNCIL RESOLUTIONS STIPULATE THE SANCTIONS CAN ONLY BE LIFTED AFTER THE U-N VERIFIES THE ELIMINATION OF IRAQ'S WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION. IRAQ CONTENDS WASHINGTON WILL NOT ALLOW VERIFICATION TO BE ISSUED AS LONG AS THE PRESENT IRAQI LEADERSHIP REMAINS IN POWER. (SIGNED) NEB/DBR/DW/RAE 09-Nov-97 11:57 AM EST (1657 UTC) NNNN Source: Voice of America .
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