DATE= 11/20/97
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-223014
TITLE=IRAQI OPPOSITION VIEW
BYLINE=PAMELA TAYLOR
DATELINE=WASHINGTON
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: AN IRAQI OPPOSITION LEADER SAYS SADDAM HUSSEIN HAS
ACHIEVED HIS MAIN GOAL WITH THE COMPROMISE AGREEMENT NEGOTIATED
BY RUSSIA TO END A DIPLOMATIC STANDOFF BETWEEN WASHINGTON AND
BAGHDAD. THAT GOAL, ACCORDING TO AHMAD CHALABI IS 'GAINING TIME'
FOR IRAQ TO CONTINUE PRODUCING WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION.
VOA'S PAMELA TAYLOR REPORTS:
TEXT: ALTHOUGH MR. CHALABI SAYS HE HAS NOT SEEN THE AGREEMENT
NEGOTIATED BY RUSSIAN FOREIGN MINISTER YEVGENY PRIMAKOV, HE IS
CONCERNED BY WHAT HE CALLS ITS 'OMINOUS' LANGUAGE ABOUT MAKING
THE U-N WEAPONS INSPECTION TEAM -- KNOWN AS U-N-S-C-O-M -- "MORE
EFFECTIVE":
// ACT ONE //
THAT IS A EUPHEMISM THAT HAS BEEN USED BY PRIMAKOV FOR
CHANGING THE COMPOSITION OF U-N-S-C-O-M AND FOR
RESTRICTING ITS FUNCTIONS. MORE IMPORTANTLY, IT COULD
BE A EUPHEMISM FOR GIVING A TIME LIMIT BY WHICH
U-N-S-C-O-M WILL FINISH ITS JOB.
// END ACT //
MR. CHALABI COMMENTS CAME IN A SPEECH THURSDAY TO THE WASHINGTON
INSTITUTE FOR NEAR EAST POLICY. MR. CHALABI SAID U-N INSPECTORS
HAVE BEEN SUCCESSFUL IN DESTROYING SOME WEAPONS OF MASS
DESTRUCTION. BUT HE SAID THE IRAQI LEADER HAS SIMPLY CHANGED
HIS TACTICS FROM QUANTITY TO QUALITY:
// ACT TWO //
INSTEAD OF MUSTARD GAS AND SAREN, HE HAS V-X NOW AND
ANTHRAX AND A SMALL QUANTITY OF THOSE IS EQUIVALENT TO A
VERY LARGE QUANTITY OF OTHER WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION
IN THEIR DEVASTATING EFFECT.
// END ACT //
MR. CHALABI SAID IRAQ HAS UNDOUBTEDLY MADE A LOT OF PROGRESS IN
PRODUCING THESE BIOLOGICAL WEAPONS DURING THE THREE WEEKS
INSPECTORS HAVE NOT BEEN ALLOWED IN THE COUNTRY.
// REST OPT //
THE OPPOSITION LEADER THEN FOCUSED HIS COMMENTS ON THE PURPOSE OF
HIS VISIT TO THE UNITED STATES -- TO WIN U-S SUPPORT FOR AN IRAQI
OPPOSITION GOVERNMENT IN EXILE. HE CRITICIZED THE LACK OF SUCH
SUPPORT FOLLOWING THE GULF WAR WHEN, HE SAID, IT WAS A MORE
VIABLE CONCEPT. BUT TODAY, HE INSISTED, THE VARIOUS FACTIONS
WHICH HE REPRESENTS ARE UNITED.
// ACT THREE //
I SAY TO YOU NOW, THE OPPOSITION IS UNITED IN ITS AIM OF
GETTING RID OF SADDAM AND ESTABLISHING DEMOCRACY IN
IRAQ.
// END ACT //
AS PRESIDENT OF THE IRAQI NATIONAL CONGRESS, MR. CHALABI
REPRESENTS A COALITION OF SUNNI, SHIITE AND KURDISH OPPOSITION
GROUPS. THE COALITION IS CONSIDERED BY MANY TO BE THE LEADING
MOVEMENT OPPOSED TO SADDAM HUSSEIN'S RULE. (SIGNED)
NEB/PAM/WFR
20-Nov-97 3:48 PM EST (2048 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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