17 February 1998
TEXT: AMB. BILL RICHARDSON 2/14 BEIJING PRESS STATEMENT
(U.S., China believe Iraq should grant UNSCOM access) (1240) Beijing -- The United States and China both believe Iraq should comply with all relevant Security Council resolutions and grant UNSCOM clear access, according to Ambassador Bill Richardson, U.S. Permanent Representative to the United Nations. Richardson, who was dispatched by President Clinton to consult with China's leaders about the Iraq crisis, said in his opening statement at a press conference in Beijing February 14 that the United States and China agreed that the situation in Iraq is grave. "We both support a diplomatic solution, including the mediation efforts of the U.N. Secretary General concerning the weapons inspection question to resolve the crisis in accordance with the relevant Security Council resolutions," he said. "The United States will continue to consult closely with our Security Council partner." The United Nations has sought diplomatic solutions to this crisis from the beginning, Richardson said. "We have pushed forward Security Council statements and resolutions. There have been special envoys. The Russians, the French, the Turks, the Arab League and others have tried diplomacy, and failed," he said. "The responsibility for what happens next lies with Saddam Hussein. He alone will be responsible for whatever serious consequences follow from his defiance. The time has come for Iraq to understand clearly that there is no alternative to full cooperation with UNSCOM and giving it unfettered access. We cannot, should not, and must not accept anything less than that standard," Richardson said. (For more information on the Iraq crisis, contact the USIA website at: http://www.usia.gov/regional/nea/gulfsec/iraqpage.htm) Following is the official text of Richardson's opening statement: (begin text) AMBASSADOR BILL RICHARDSON PRESS STATEMENT BEIJING, CHINA FEBRUARY 14, 1998 It is a great privilege to be here on this important Presidential mission. President Clinton has dispatched me to Beijing to consult with China's leaders about the Iraq crisis. I brought with me a letter from my President to President Jiang Zemin. Today, I had a very productive meeting with Vice Premier Qian, Vice Foreign Minister Tang and Assistant Minister Yang. I had the opportunity to fully present the United States position on resolving the crisis to my Chinese interlocutors. As two countries seeking to build constructive strategic partnership and as permanent members of the Security Council, we discussed our grave concern over Iraq's continued violations of U.N. Security Council resolutions. The United States and China, as well as other Security Council members, are working to ensure Iraq's full compliance with its obligations under relevant Security Council resolutions. Today, the United States had the opportunity to consult with a Security Council colleague and build on the discussions that Secretary of State Albright has had with Vice Premier Qian. We shared our views about the Iraq crisis. My delegation provided the senior Chinese diplomats with documentation detailing Iraq's continued production of weapons of mass destruction. We agreed that the situation in Iraq is grave. We both believe Iraq should comply with all relevant Security Council resolutions and grant UNSCOM clear access. We both support a diplomatic solution, including the mediation efforts of the U.N. Secretary General concerning the weapons inspection question to resolve the crisis in accordance with the relevant Security Council resolutions. The United States will continue to consult closely with our Security Council partner. We both agree that a peaceful solution is the most desirable outcome. The United States continues to support a diplomatic solution. This solution must enforce Security Council resolutions -- nothing more, nothing less. As part of our discussion, we presented the United States belief that political and diplomatic options are being exhausted. Iraq has consistently refused to cooperate with the requirements of the U.N. Special Commission -- UNSCOM. Compliance with U.N. Security Council resolutions means that UNSCOM must have full and unconditional access. The importance of UNSCOM cannot be underestimated. Its work has been invaluable. UNSCOM has identified and destroyed more Iraqi weapons of mass destruction in the last 6 plus years than in the entire Gulf War. But, today, UNSCOM knows that Iraq still has: chemical and biological agents and munitions; long range ballistic missiles; the expertise, facilities, and equipment to quickly restart production. To illustrate how frightening the Iraqi weapons of mass destruction threat is -- let me describe how dangerous even a small amount of any of their chemical weapons can be. One example is VX gas. A tiny droplet can kill a human in 15 minutes. It not only kills rapidly, it lasts a long time in the environment. For more than four years, Iraq denied producing significant amounts of VX. After a key Iraqi who ran the weapons program defected, Iraq declared it had produced 4 metric tons. UNSCOM evidence suggests Iraq had enough precursors to produce 200 tons of VX. UNSCOM believes Iraq has potentially substantial amounts of Sarin, VX and other toxins. The Iraqi regime remains intransigent and its weapons of mass destruction capabilities are a constant threat to the peace and security of Iraq's neighbors, the region and the world. There's been much talk about one recent diplomatic offer which would give a non-U.N. Special Commission team 60 days to inspect 8 presidential sites. In the end, this plan would permit future Iraqi concealment and undermine the authority of UNSCOM to inspect any facility it deems necessary. At just one of these 8 sites -- the sprawling Republican Palace compound in Baghdad -- there are more than 700 buildings. Many of these buildings are a part of the Presidential security network which is also responsible for concealing documents, chemicals, and weapons of mass destruction from the United Nations. It is preposterous to think how experts could conduct an effective inspection. You can imagine how useless a one time or 60 day inspection limit would be. In addition, Iraq has a total of 78 palaces and VIP residences, 58 of these have been built since the Gulf War. Billions of dollars are spent on these opulent palaces. Some are bigger than Versailles. One palace compound is bigger than the city of Washington, D.C. No wonder the Iraqi people are suffering when Saddam Hussein spends money on Presidential palaces, on weapons of mass destruction, and on strengthening his military forces while his own people starve. The United States believes we are reaching a point at which diplomatic options for obtaining Iraq's cooperation with UNSCOM are becoming exhausted. Iraq's challenge to the Council's authority is fundamental and serious and we believe that failure by the U.N. Security Council to respond, forcefully to this challenge will undermine its credibility and the ability of the U.N. to maintain peace and security. We have sought diplomatic solutions to this crisis from the beginning. We have pushed forward Security Council statements and resolutions. There have been special envoys. The Russians, the French, the Turks, the Arab League and others have tried diplomacy, and failed. The responsibility for what happens next lies with Saddam Hussein. He alone will be responsible for whatever serious consequences follow from his defiance. The time has come for Iraq to understand clearly that there is no alternative to full cooperation with UNSCOM and giving it unfettered access. We cannot, should not, and must not accept anything less than that standard. I will be happy to take your questions. (end text)
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