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03 February 1998

TRANSCRIPT: IRAQ MUST COMPLY WITH UNSC RESOLUTIONS, SAYS ALBRIGHT

(Secstate notes Bahrain's support in Iraqi crisis) (2710)
Manama, Bahrain -- "Saddam Hussein, armed with chemical and biological
weapons, is a threat to the international community. But it is a
profoundly dangerous threat to the nations of the Persian Gulf and the
entire Middle East," Secretary of State Madeleine Albright asserted
February 3.
"Saddam does not discriminate in the use of his weapons. Saudis,
Kuwaitis, Bahrainis, Iranians, Israelis and Iraqis have all been his
targets. We must stop Saddam from threatening any people of this
region with weapons of mass destruction again," she said at a press
briefing with Bahraini Foreign Minister Shaikh Muhammad Bin Mubarak al
Khalifa.
Albright said "the Amir agrees with the United States that diplomatic
options are quickly running out, and that soon we will be forced to
make some hard decisions. Diplomacy remains our preferred option. But
the standard for a real diplomatic solution must be full compliance
with the Security Council and unconditional, unfettered access for UN
weapons inspections."
The Secretary said that throughout this trip, she has found "unanimous
agreement on the fact that Saddam Hussein must fulfill his obligations
imposed upon him by the Security Council, that it is essential to have
unfettered, unconditional access to the sites by UNSCOM, that whatever
comes of this if diplomacy fails and military action is necessary,
that Saddam Hussein is responsible for the grave consequences.
"I have had I think very positive support, whether it's from King
Hussein or from the Amir here, or Kuwait or Saudi Arabia, for what we
are seeking. And I think that we believe that we will have all the
cooperation we need across the board," she said.
She stressed that the United States has no quarrel with the Iraqi
people. "We do not wish to see women and children used as human
shields. We do not wish to see people sick and hungry. The U.S. wrote
the UN resolution permitting Iraq to sell oil for food and medicine.
Now we want to expand it so more food and medicine can be provided
more effectively to the Iraqi people," she said, adding, "But nothing
will change our determination to thwart Saddam from ever threatening
this region with weapons of mass destruction again."
Albright noted that this year marks 50 years of relations and
friendship between the United States and Bahrain and she expressed the
appreciation of the U.S. for Bahrain's support in this time of crisis.
Following is the transcript of the press briefing:
(Begin transcript)
PRESS BRIEFING BY SECRETARY MADELEINE K. ALBRIGHT
AND BAHRAINI FOREIGN MINISTER SHAIKH MUHAMMAD BIN MUBARAK AL KHALIFA
Sheraton Hotel
Manama, Bahrain
February 3, 1998
FOREIGN MINISTER: I would like to welcome Secretary of State Madeleine
Albright -- I would like to welcome her visit here today and express
appreciation for her inclusion of Bahrain in this important tour of
the Middle East and the Gulf region. Her Excellency the Secretary of
State has held constructive and fruitful discussions with their
Highnesses the Amir, the Prime Minister, and the Crown Prince
regarding the situation in the Gulf region and also the Middle East
Peace Process. Bahrain is in agreement with the United States and is
very keen that the Peace Process must be pushed forward to overcome
the difficulties presently encountered in implementing the peace
accords.
Regarding the situation in the Gulf, the two sides agree that Iraq
should adhere to, comply with, and implement all relevant United
Nations Security Council resolutions, and give access to the
inspectors of the United Nations Special Commission. Iraq should
reconsider its position and cooperate with the United Nations Security
Council to alleviate and avoid further suffering for the Iraqi nation.
Bahrain also reiterated its firm stand towards the importance of the
unity and territorial integrity of Iraq. It has been stressed by both
sides that all diplomatic efforts to reach a peaceful solution to the
present crisis must be fully explored and exhausted. The failure of
such diplomatic efforts will result in grave consequences, the sole
responsibility for which will rest with Iraq.
Bahrain and the United States enjoy excellent relations. Bahrain
expressed its satisfaction with the current state of cooperation at
all levels and looks forward to the development and strengthening of
the ties between the two countries. Of course Bahrain, being a
non-permanent member of the Security Council, has a special role to
play in the political arena and will exert all possible efforts to
fulfill its role.
SECRETARY ALBRIGHT: Thank you very much. I am very glad to be back in
Bahrain, even under these grave circumstances. I want to thank the
Amir and the People of Bahrain for hosting us. Your hospitality as
always is truly gracious. And Mr. Minister it is a pleasure to see you
and work with you again.
The Amir and I had excellent discussions about the situation in Iraq.
Bahrain stands with the United States, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and the
international community, in our assessment that the responsibility for
this crisis falls squarely on the shoulders of Saddam Hussein. He must
stop his lawless defiance of the Security Council and provide UNSCOM
with a free and unfettered access it needs to ensure that Saddam
cannot develop, acquire or use weapons of mass destruction. Before I
leave the Gulf I want to stress something that I have been saying for
days.
Saddam Hussein, armed with chemical and biological weapons, is a
threat to the international community. But it is a profoundly
dangerous threat to the nations of the Persian Gulf and the entire
Middle East. Saddam does not discriminate in the use of his weapons.
Saudis, Kuwaitis, Bahrainis, Iranians, Israelis and Iraqis have all
been his targets. We must stop Saddam from threatening any people of
this region with weapons of mass destruction again.
I updated His Highness on all the options we possess, diplomatic and
otherwise, to compel Saddam to turn from his defiant, aggressive path.
The Amir agrees with the United States that diplomatic options are
quickly running out, and that soon we will be forced to make some hard
decisions. Diplomacy remains our preferred option. But the standard
for a real diplomatic solution must be full compliance with the
Security Council and unconditional, unfettered access for UN weapons
inspections. The Amir and I agreed that if diplomatic measures fail,
the government of Iraq alone will be responsible for the grave
consequences.
This year marks the 50th year that the United States Navy has been
with you in the Gulf and Bahrain. Bahrain and the United States have
been constant friends and partners. And let me say on behalf of the
United States, we appreciate the support of Bahrain in this time of
crisis. Finally I want to say again that the United States has no
quarrel with the people of Iraq. We do not wish to see women and
children used as human shields. We do not wish to see people sick and
hungry. The U.S. wrote the UN resolution permitting Iraq to sell oil
for food and medicine. Now we want to expand it so more food and
medicine can be provided more effectively to the Iraqi people. But
nothing will change our determination to thwart Saddam from ever
threatening this region with weapons of mass destruction again. Thank
you.
QUESTION: Madam Secretary, you've had a few more hours maybe to look
at this (inaudible) proposal that Iraq is floating through Russia. You
still say that diplomatic time is running out, but is there any
worthwhile diplomacy that the Russians are engaged in or can engage in
based on that overture or any others you may know about. Is there
anything live on the diplomatic front?
SECRETARY ALBRIGHT: First of all let me repeat again that we would
like to have diplomatic options explored. We believe that the best
solution for this is still -- our preferred solution is the diplomatic
one. But we have to stay with the standards we have set, which is that
there has to be for UNSCOM unfettered, unconditional access to all the
sites, and if diplomacy can achieve that, all the better. But if we
are handed suggestions by anybody that result in diversionary tactics
rather than diplomatic solutions, I think we need to keep reiterating
that the goal here of diplomacy is to have UNSCOM have unfettered,
unconditional access to all sites.
QUESTION: This is for both the Foreign Minister and the Secretary of
State. The US has repeatedly said that the conflict with Iraq is not a
conflict between the U.S. and Iraq, but the U.N and Iraq. In this
situation why is the UN not taking the lead in taking action against
Iraq, and why is a US official, and not a UN official, making this
current tour?
SECRETARY ALBRIGHT: Well first of all, we are all of us the UN, and we
are trying to fulfill the Security Council resolutions passed by
members of the United Nations. I think that other UN officials are in
fact speaking out. The Secretary General, Kofi Annan, has been making
statements. Chairman Butler has been making statements. The United
States is making this tour because we are one of the permanent members
of the Security Council and because we believe that it is important
for our friends on the Security Council and other countries to
understand what our views are. The purpose of my trip has been to
explain the U.S. position and to discuss the next steps.
FOREIGN MINISTER: Well I would just like to add that Bahrain, as you
know, is a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council
and we have a role to play. We look to the issue as an international
issue, and what we are asking, as I said in my statement, we are
asking Iraq to implement the Security Council resolutions. And I think
the Secretary of State here -- we would like to join her, with all
other members of the Council, to ask Iraq to implement those
resolutions. So really what we are doing is working within the
framework of the United Nations Security Council.
QUESTION: Madam Secretary, the bottom line on this trip is surely to
have won the support of the Gulf States for any possible military
action against Iraq should it be deemed to be necessary. With the
exception of Kuwait that appears not to have happened. So doesn't the
United States still risk alienating Arab public opinion if it does
decide to use force?
SECRETARY ALBRIGHT: Well I think you have a different take on this
trip than I do. I feel that this has been an excellent trip, because
wherever I have gone we have had, first of all, terrific discussions.
I have been offered the ability to explain our position and discuss
the next steps. I have found unanimous agreement on the fact that
Saddam Hussein must fulfill his obligations imposed upon him by the
Security Council, that it is essential to have unfettered,
unconditional access to the sites by UNSCOM, that whatever comes of
this if diplomacy fails and military action is necessary, that Saddam
Hussein is responsible for the grave consequences. I have had I think
very positive support, whether it's from King Hussein or from the Amir
here, or Kuwait or Saudi Arabia, for what we are seeking. And I think
that we believe that we will have all the cooperation we need across
the board.
QUESTION: Madam Secretary, has Bahrain agreed to allow the United
States to use it as a base for air strikes on Iraq?
SECRETARY ALBRIGHT: Let me say again I'm not going to comment on
specific countries or operational details, but we believe that we will
have the cooperation we need to use our forces, if necessary, from all
the countries I've talked to.
QUESTION: Madam Secretary, you have repeatedly made a point about U.S.
support for the oil for food program, and how the United States
authored this resolution and has pushed incessantly for it. But there
still remains a huge question out there, and that is even though you
say you support expansion of the program, are you going to support the
magnitude of the expansion that has been proposed by Kofi Annan, which
is over five billion dollars, and how quickly can the Security Council
act on that?
SECRETARY ALBRIGHT: First of all I repeat always the fact that we were
the authors of it, because I think people seem to forget that the
United States has never had a fight with the Iraqi people, and I have
said even at the time when I was at the UN that I think I probably
felt more warmly and more compassionately about the Iraqi people than
Saddam Hussein, who cries crocodile tears over them. We have just seen
or heard about the Secretary General's report or suggestion. As is
appropriate, we are going to be looking at what he has suggested,
including the size of it. But we would like to figure out a way to
make clear that our fight is not with the Iraqi people, and that we
would like to make available as much as is possible and develop a
mechanism so that the results of the sales, the food and medicines,
can go and be distributed in a way that serves the Iraqi people.
QUESTION: Mr. Foreign Minister, is Bahrain prepared to support a
finding in the Security Council of material breach of Iraqi
obligations? And Madam Secretary, you have said you're prepared to
continue diplomatic pursuit for some time left, but your conditions
are not negotiable. So what exactly is the purpose of diplomacy?
FOREIGN MINISTER: To answer the first part of your question, I would
like to say that this resolution is now in draft form, we haven't seen
it yet, and certainly we will consider it. I think the British
government is drafting that resolution and is submitting it next week,
and when that comes certainly we will look at it and give it the
support it needs.
SECRETARY ALBRIGHT: The purpose of diplomacy, Political Science 101,
is in order to be able to persuade other countries of your point of
view and the necessity to move forward together, and what we have been
doing here, all of us in these discussions, is talking about the
importance of using diplomatic means to get Saddam Hussein to
understand that he has to fulfill his obligations to the international
community, and that those conditions are not negotiable; that they
have to do with unfettered, unconditional access by the UNSCOM
inspectors, who are the designated group to do the job, in order to
have access to all the sites.
QUESTION: I was wondering Madame Secretary that, at the end of your
trip to the Gulf and the Middle East region, if you had heard from any
of the officials you talked to any new ideas on the diplomatic front
that might move Saddam Hussein. Obviously your message has reached him
by now, obviously the message has not caused him to move in the
direction you wished, and I'm just wondering if any officials here
have proposed perhaps a new tact to use that might move him.
SECRETARY ALBRIGHT: I think that what is happening is that there are
an increasing number of messengers, but the message is consistent, and
I will repeat it again. There should be unfettered, unconditional
access by the UNSCOM inspectors to the necessary sites. And whatever
ideas there are I think are primarily different groupings that are
going to Baghdad. And as I said, we would like to exhaust all aspects
of diplomacy, and therefore various groups going I think is useful. It
is the message that counts and I think that you've heard, as you've
traveled around with me and watched me with my fellow foreign
ministers, that we are agreed on the message.
QUESTION: The U.S. has been lobbying the allies in the Gulf. How about
the allies in the Gulf war like Egypt and Syria?
SECRETARY ALBRIGHT: I am on my way to Egypt.
A/S RUBIN:  Thank you very much.
(End transcript)