09 February 1998
RICHARDSON TO VISIT CHINA, JAPAN TO DISCUSS IRAQI CRISIS
(U.S. envoy: there is support for U.S. policy around the world) (760) By Judy Aita USIA United Nations Correspondent United Nations -- Saying that the Iraqi crisis must be resolved soon, the chief U.S. envoy to the United Nations is heading to China and Japan to explain the United States' policy on dealing with Saddam Hussein's refusal to grant U.N. weapons inspectors access to suspected sites. U.S. Ambassador Bill Richardson said February 9 that he will be leaving in mid-week to visit the two countries, both of which are members of the Security Council, "to explain U.S. policy ... a policy of diplomacy backed by force." China is a permanent member of the council, while Japan is in the second year of a two-year term as a non-permanent member. Richardson returned to the United States late February 6 after a whirlwind diplomatic mission to the capitals of countries that currently hold rotating seats on the 15-member Security Council. He met with senior government officials of Slovenia, Sweden, Portugal, Kenya, The Gambia, Gabon, Brazil and Costa Rica. Talking with reporters after a private meeting of the council on Bosnia-Herzegovina, Richardson said that during his travels to three continents he has found support for the U.S. policy. "I believe there's a strong body of countries around the world that support America's position," the ambassador said. He stressed that the United States will not be issuing ultimatums to Iraq. "We are not going to be abiding by deadlines or time lines. We believe very strongly that compliance is in Saddam Hussein's hands. It's as simple as that," Richardson said. "The Secretary of State (Madeleine Albright) said yesterday that we're talking about a resolution of this issue not (in) days and not months," he said. The U.S. position is that Baghdad must grant the U.N. Special commission overseeing the destruction of Iraqi weapons (UNSCOM) full, unconditional access to all sites and all documents. And UNSCOM officials should be the ones making the decisions on what sites to visit, Richardson said. "That's the bottom line ... our position has always been very clear." All members of the Security Council, Richardson has pointed out several times, support the United States view that Iraq must unconditionally abide by the Security Council resolutions passed at the end of the Gulf War and give full, unfettered access to all sites of interest to U.N. weapons inspectors. In the meantime, Secretary General Kofi Annan February 9 canceled a previously scheduled trip to the Middle East (that was to have begun February 11) in order to remain at U.N. headquarters in case he is needed. He was to have visited Egypt, Israel, Syria, Jordan, and Lebanon. But, his spokesman said he had no immediate plans to visit Baghdad instead. U.N. spokesman Fred Eckhard said Annan was not ruling out such a trip but was waiting to see what the Security Council wants and if "he feels he can accomplish something by going." "In his efforts to help find a diplomatic solution to the crisis that has arisen as a result of Iraq's non-compliance with Security Council resolutions, the secretary general has maintained close and frequent high-level contacts with all parties involved," Eckhard said. "His objective remains to help bring about a diplomatic solution while ensuring respect for the decisions of the Security Council." "Since, notwithstanding some movement in the right direction, an acceptable solution is yet to be agreed upon, he believes it is essential for him to remain available at headquarters until the crisis has been defused," Eckhard said. The council has not scheduled any discussions on either the weapons inspections issue or Annan's proposal to more than double the amount of oil Iraq can sell under the "oil-for-food" scheme to $5,200 million to provide more food and medicine for Iraqi civilians adversely affected by the seven-year-old economic embargo against Iraq. Diplomats have expressed dismay that on February 6 Iraq sent a letter to the U.N. complaining about the problems with Annan's plan while giving no indication that it was willing to accept the additional aid. British Ambassador Sir John Weston complained that Iraq was delaying the oil-for-food plan which involves the welfare of the Iraqi people. (For more information on the Iraq crisis, contact our Iraq website at: http://www.usia.gov/regional/nea/gulfsec/iraqpage.htm)
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