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DATE=4/18/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-229879
TITLE=COHEN-JORDAN-IRAQ (L)
BYLINE=JIM RANDLE
DATELINE=AMMAN
CONTENT=
VOICED AT: 
INTRO:  DEFENSE SECRETARY WILLIAM COHEN SAYS THE UNITED NATIONS  
SHOULD KEEP ITS SANCTIONS IN FORCE AGAINST IRAQ UNTIL BAGHDAD  
OFFERS PROOF THAT IT HAS DESTROYED ALL OF ITS WEAPONS OF MASS 
DESTRUCTION.   MR. COHEN'S COMMENTS FOLLOW A U-N REPORT FRIDAY 
WHICH SAID THAT U-N WEAPONS INSPECTORS IN IRAQ HAVE MADE  NO  
RECENT PROGRESS IN FINDING EVIDENCE THAT THE CHEMICAL AND GERM 
WEAPONS ARE GONE.  V-O-A'S JIM RANDLE IS TRAVELING WITH SECRETARY
COHEN AND REPORTS FROM AMMAN, JORDAN. 
TEXT:  SPEAKING TO REPORTERS AFTER TALKS WITH JORDAN'S PRIME 
MINISTER, MR. COHEN SAID IRAQ HAS OPENED EIGHT OF SADDAM 
HUSSEIN'S PALACES TO INSPECTION, BUT THAT FALLS FAR SHORT OF THE 
UNFETTERED ACCESS REQUIRED BY U-N RESOLUTIONS THAT ENDED THE GULF
WAR.   MR. COHEN SAYS SADDAM HUSSEIN CAN END SANCTIONS BY PROVING
HE HAS KEPT HIS PROMISE TO GET RID OF CHEMICAL AND BIOLOGICAL 
WEAPONS -- SOMETHING HE HAS LIED ABOUT IN THE PAST. 
                        /// COHEN ACT ///
         IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT SADDAM HUSSEIN PRODUCE PROOF THAT 
         HE HAS  DESTROYED THOSE CHEMICALS AND BIOLOGICAL WEAPONS
         AND MISSILES THAT HE CLAIMS HAVE BEEN DESTROYED.  
                        /// END ACT  ///
MR. COHEN IS IN JORDAN FOR TALKS WITH KING HUSSEIN AND PRIME 
MINISTER ABDUL SALAM AL-MAJALI ABOUT IRAQ, JORDAN'S DEFENSE NEEDS
AND THE STALLED ISRAELI-PALESTINIAN PEACE PROCESS. 
PRIME MINISTER AL-MAJALI SAYS THERE IS A WIDESPREAD PERCEPTION IN
THE ARAB WORLD THAT THE UNITED STATES PRESSES IRAQ VERY HARD  TO 
COMPLY WITH U-N RESOLUTIONS, BUT DOES FAR LESS TO MAKE ISRAEL 
COMPLY WITH SUCH REQUIREMENTS.  
THE PRIME MINISTER SAYS THE ARAB PERCEPTION IS UNDERSTANDABLE, 
BUT SAYS WASHINGTON IS PRESSING ISRAEL "QUITE ENOUGH" TO KEEP 
PROMISES AND MOVE FORWARD.
                        /// REST OPT ///
THE OFFICIALS ALSO DISCUSSED U-S AID AND JORDAN'S DEFENSE NEEDS. 
MR. COHEN SAYS U-S MILITARY AID INCLUDES FORGIVEN LOANS, MONEY TO
LEASE 16 F-16 FIGHTERS, AND GIFTS OF SOME MILITARY HARDWARE LIKE 
M-60 TANKS AND U-H-1 HELICOPTERS THAT ARE BEING PHASED OUT BY U-S
FORCES.  
SECRETARY COHEN ALSO SAID THERE ARE DISCUSSIONS UNDERWAY ABOUT 
GIVING A-10 ATTACK PLANES TO JORDAN.  THE A-10 IS THE SLOW, 
ODD-LOOKING JET THAT DEVASTATED IRAQI TANKS DURING THE GULF WAR. 
(SIGNED) 
NEB/JR/TMD/JO
18-Apr-98 11:37 AM EDT (1537 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
.