DATE= JANUARY 12, 1997
TYPE= EDITORIAL
NUMBER= 0-07111
TITLE= EDITORIAL: EKEUS ON IRAQI WEAPONS
CONTENT=THIS IS THE ONLY EDITORIAL BEING RELEASED FOR BROADCAST JANUARY 12, 1997.
ANNCR:
THE VOICE OF AMERICA PRESENTS DIFFERING POINTS OF VIEW ON A WIDE VARIETY OF ISSUES. NEXT, AN EDITORIAL EXPRESSING THE POLICIES OF THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT.
VOICE:
UNITED NATIONS WEAPONS INSPECTORS RETURNED TO IRAQ THIS MONTH TO TRY TO DETERMINE IF THE SADDAM HUSSEIN REGIME HAS DESTROYED ALL OF ITS LONG-RANGE MISSILES. IRAQ HAS STILL NOT ACCOUNTED FOR A NUMBER OF MISSILES THAT WERE SUPPOSED TO BE DESTROYED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE 1991 U-N SECURITY COUNCIL RESOLUTION THAT ENDED IRAQ'S WAR AGAINST KUWAIT. AS CHIEF WEAPONS INSPECTOR ROLF EKEUS SAID, THE U-N INSPECTORS ARE CONCERNED THAT IRAQ "IS STILL KEEPING A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF MISSILES, CONSTITUTING A COMPLETE MISSILE FORCE FOR LONG-RANGE ATTACKS IN THE REGION."
U-N WEAPONS INSPECTORS ARE ALSO CONCERNED ABOUT WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION THAT IRAQ DEVELOPED -- AND MAY STILL POSSESS. AS MR. EKEUS SAID, THE WEAPONS INSPECTORS KNOW THAT IRAQ "PRODUCED BIOLOGICAL WEAPONS, ESPECIALLY ANTHRAX AND BOTULINUM, TWO EXTREMELY DANGEROUS BACTERIA WHICH COULD LEAD TO SEVERE AND MOST DISASTROUS CONSEQUENCES IF THEY WERE USED FOR ATTACKING CITIES AND POPULATION CENTERS." MR. EKEUS SAID THAT MOST OF THESE MATERIALS HAVE BEEN DESTROYED. BUT HE SAID THE U-N HAS "NOT FULLY ACCOUNTED FOR ALL OF THE BIOLOGICAL AGENTS IRAQ HAS PRODUCED. WE ARE CONCERNED THAT IRAQ IS STILL HIDING SOME."
U-N WEAPONS INSPECTORS ARE ALSO CONCERNED ABOUT IRAQI CHEMICAL WEAPONS. AS MR. EKEUS SAID, "MOST OF IRAQ'S LARGE CHEMICAL WEAPONS SOURCES HAVE BEEN DESTROYED IN A CONTROLLED FASHION. BUT HERE WE HAVE STILL ON THE U-N SIDE A CONCERN THAT SOME CHEMICAL AGENTS, ESPECIALLY OF ADVANCED CHARACTER, ARE STORED SECRETLY IN IRAQ."
MR. EKEUS SAID IT IS "CRYSTAL CLEAR" THAT IRAQ IS NOT ALLOWED TO HAVE SUCH WEAPONS.
ACTUALITY #1 -- EKEUS (ACTUALITY IN AUDIO SERVICES)
"IT WAS A DEAL BETWEEN THE SECURITY COUNCIL ON THE ONE SIDE AND IRAQ ON THE OTHER. VERY SIMPLE AND CLEAR: IRAQ SHOULD GIVE UP ITS BIOLOGICAL WEAPONS, CHEMICAL WEAPONS, ITS NERVE AGENTS AND ITS LONG-RANGE MISSILES AND NUCLEAR CAPABILITY. THAT IS NOT MUCH TO ASK. MOST STATES IN THE WORLD -- MANY BIG -- JAPAN, GERMANY, ITALY -- ALL VERY IMPORTANT COUNTRIES -- NONE OF THEM BOTHER TO KEEP SUCH WEAPONS."
AS THE U-N SECURITY COUNCIL HAS STRESSED REPEATEDLY, UNTIL IRAQ COMPLIES WITH U-N RESOLUTIONS, IT WILL REMAIN SUBJECT TO INTERNATIONAL SANCTIONS.
ANNCR:
THAT WAS AN EDITORIAL EXPRESSING THE POLICIES OF THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT. IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO BE HEARD ON THIS ISSUE, PLEASE WRITE TO EDITORIALS, VOICE OF AMERICA, WASHINGTON, D-C, 20547, U-S-A. YOU MAY ALSO SEND US A FAX AT (202) 619-1043. YOUR COMMENTS MAY BE USED ON THE AIR.
10-Jan-97 1:22 PM EST (1822 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
|
NEWSLETTER
|
| Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list |
|
|
|
