DATE=12/3/97
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-223631
TITLE=SANCTIONS DEBATE ( L ONLY)
BYLINE=GIL BUTLER
DATELINE=WASHINGTON
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
// RERUNNING TO CLARIFY TYPOS //
INTRO: ONE OF THE MOST DEBATED ISSUES WORLDWIDE IN RECENT YEARS
HAS BEEN CONTINUED ECONOMIC SANCTIONS ON IRAQ, IMPOSED BY THE
UNITED NATIONS AFTER THE GULF WAR TO ENSURE DESTRUCTION OF IRAQ'S
MASS DESTRUCTION WEAPONS. THE BROOKINGS INSTITUTION, A
WASHINGTON POLICY RESEARCH ORGANIZATION, HELD A WIDE RANGING
DISCUSSION WEDNESDAY ON THE EFFECTIVENESS OF SANCTIONS AS A TOOL
OF FOREIGN POLICY. V-O-A'S GIL BUTLER HAS A REPORT.
TEXT: THE DISCUSSION ON WHETHER SANCTIONS WORK ***INCLUDED***
NOT ONLY THE SIX YEARS OF ECONOMIC SANCTIONS AGAINST IRAQ, BUT
THE SANCTIONS IMPOSED BY THE UNITED STATES AGAINST CUBA, LIBYA,
IRAN SUDAN AND BURMA.
OVERALL THE PANELISTS -- FOREIGN POLICY EXPERTS, A BUSINESSMAN
AND AN ECONOMIST -- AGREED THAT IN RECENT YEARS THE UNITED STATES
HAS BEEN TOO QUICK TO RESORT TO SANCTIONS. IN THE WORDS OF ONE
PANELIST: SANCTIONS SHOULD BE CONSIDERED AS SERIOUSLY AS
MILITARY INTERVENTION.
RICHARD HAASS OF THE BROOKINGS INSTITUTION ARGUED THAT SANCTIONS
ARE SOMETIMES COUNTER PRODUCTIVE -- HARMING AMERICAN INTERESTS
MORE THAN THE COUNTRY AGAINST WHICH THEY ARE AIMED.
BUT IN THE CASE OF IRAQ, HE SAYS, THE SANCTIONS HAVE HAD POSITIVE
RESULTS.
/// HAASS ACT ///
HOWEVER TROUBLESOME SADDAM HUSSEIN'S IRAQ IS TODAY, IT
WOULD BE A FAR GREATER PROBLEM FOR US ALL IN THE ABSENCE
OF THE SANCTIONS THAT ARE CURRENTLY IN PLACE.
/// END ACT ///
MR. HAASS SAYS SANCTIONS SHOULD BE MULTILATERAL -- THAT THE
UNITED STATES CAN NOT EFFECTIVELY ACT ALONE. HE SAYS THERE
MUST BE HUMANITARIAN EXCEPTIONS TO ECONOMIC SANCTIONS.
SOME AT THE BROOKINGS DISCUSSION ARGUED FOR WHAT THEY CALLED
"SMART" SANCTIONS, THAT IS, AIMING THE PUNISHMENT AT THE LEADERS
INSTEAD OF BROAD SANCTIONS THAT HURT INNOCENT PEOPLE. BUT
KIMBERLY ELLIOT OF THE INSTITUTE FOR INTERNATIONAL ECONOMICS
DOUBTED THAT COULD BE EFFECTIVE.
/// ELLIOT ACT ///
THESE NASTY GUYS ARE ALL HIDING THEIR ASSETS. THERE WAS
A MASSIVE SEARCH TO FIND SADDAM HUSSEIN'S ASSETS AND AS
FAR AS I AM AWARE, VERY LITTLE SUCCESS IN DOING THAT.
THE SMART SANCTIONS OF THAT TYPE, OF TRYING TO TARGET
INDIVIDUAL NASTY GUYS AND GET THEIR ASSETS, ARE NOT
LIKELY TO BE VERY EFFECTIVE.
/// END ACT ///
ALL OF THE PANELISTS AGREED THAT THE U-S CONGRESS HAS BEEN TOO
QUICK TO INITIATE ECONOMIC SANCTIONS OVER NARROW DISPUTES AND
THAT THE ADMINISTRATION HAS NOT TRIED HARD ENOUGH ***TO STOP***
THEM.
RICHARD HAASS PREDICTED MORE SANCTIONS WILL BE COMING. IN HIS
WORDS, THE HIGH WATER MARK OF SANCTIONS HAS NOT BEEN REACHED.
/// HAAS ACT ///
MY HUNCH IS, WE ARE GOING TO SEE MORE OF SINGLE-ISSUE,
SINGLE COUNTRY SANCTIONS RATHER THAN LESS. AND IF YOU
LOOK AT THE HOPPER OF BILLS WAITING UP ON THE HILL,
THERE ARE PROBABLY 50 OR 60 THAT DEAL WITH CHINA ALONE
ON ISSUES OF RELIGIOUS PERSECUTION OF HUMAN RIGHTS
ACROSS THE GAMUT. VIRTUALLY EVERY OTHER ISSUE OF
AMERICAN FOREIGN POLICY IS NOW WEDDED SOMEWHERE TO
SANCTIONS.
/// END ACT ///
KIMBERLY ELLIOT SUMMED UP WHAT SEEMED TO BE THE PREVAILING POINT
OF VIEW AT THE BROOKINGS DISCUSSION: SANCTIONS ARE TOO READILY
USED, ARE TOO BROAD A WEAPON, SHOULD NOT BE IMPOSED WITHOUT
GREAT FORETHOUGHT, BUT SHOULD NOT BE DISCARDED AS A TOOL OF
FOREIGN POLICY. (SIGNED)
NEB/MGB/MMK
03-Dec-97 3:33 PM EST (2033 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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