DATE= MAY 29, 1998
TYPE= EDITORIAL
NUMBER= 0-07807
TITLE= EDITORIAL: PICKERING ON OIL FOR FOOD FOR IRAQIS
CONTENT=THIS IS THE ONLY EDITORIAL BEING RELEASED FOR BROADCAST
MAY 29, 1998.
ANNCR:
THE VOICE OF AMERICA PRESENTS DIFFERING POINTS OF VIEW ON A WIDE
VARIETY OF ISSUES. NEXT, AN EDITORIAL EXPRESSING THE POLICIES OF
THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT.
VOICE:
THE IRAQI REGIME OF SADDAM HUSSEIN HAS SHOWN THROUGH ITS
AGGRESSION AGAINST KUWAIT, IRAN AND OTHER NEIGHBORS THAT IT POSES
A THREAT TO WORLD PEACE AND SECURITY. THAT IS WHY THE UNITED
NATIONS SECURITY COUNCIL INSISTED IN 1991 THAT IRAQ BE DISARMED
OF ITS NUCLEAR, CHEMICAL AND BIOLOGICAL WEAPONS AND MISSILES WITH
A RANGE OF MORE THAN ONE-HUNDRED FIFTY KILOMETERS. THERE HAS
BEEN SOME LIMITED PROGRESS ON CRIPPLING IRAQ'S NUCLEAR WEAPONS
PROGRAMS. BUT IRAQ HAS NOT COME CLOSE TO SATISFYING U-N
INSPECTORS THAT IT HAS ELIMINATED OTHER WEAPONS OF MASS
DESTRUCTION. AS A RESULT, IRAQ REMAINS SUBJECT TO COMPREHENSIVE
INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC SANCTIONS.
WHILE THE UNITED STATES AND OTHER COUNTRIES MUST PROTECT
THEMSELVES FROM AN AGGRESSIVE IRAQI REGIME, THEY DO NOT WISH TO
IMPOSE UNNECESSARY SUFFERING ON THE IRAQI PEOPLE. FOR THAT
REASON, THE SANCTIONS HAVE NEVER BARRED THE SHIPMENT TO IRAQ OF
FOOD, MEDICINE AND OTHER HUMANITARIAN GOODS. UNFORTUNATELY,
SADDAM HUSSEIN DOES NOT SHARE A SIMILAR CONCERN FOR THE IRAQI
PEOPLE. HE HAS SPENT TWO BILLION DOLLARS BUILDING PALACES IN THE
PERIOD SINCE THE GULF WAR ENDED WHILE ARGUING THAT IRAQ DOESN'T
HAVE THE RESOURCES TO FEED ITS PEOPLE.
THAT IS WHY THE U-N'S OIL-FOR-FOOD PROGRAM IS CRUCIAL. UNDER
THIS PROGRAM, IRAQ IS ALLOWED TO EXPORT A SPECIFIED AMOUNT OF OIL
AND USE PART OF THE PROCEEDS FOR HUMANITARIAN GOODS. THE PROGRAM
IS MONITERED BY THE U-N TO ENSURE THAT THE FOOD AND MEDICINE GO
TO THE IRAQI PEOPLE -- NOT SADDAM AND HIS MILITARY.
AS UNDER SECRETARY OF STATE THOMAS PICKERING POINTED OUT, THE
U.S. PROPOSED THE FIRST OIL-FOR-FOOD PROGRAM IN 1991. BUT SADDAM
REJECTED IT. A REVISED PROGRAM FINALLY WENT INTO EFFECT AT THE
END OF 1996. A U-N RESOLUTION WAS RECENTLY PASSED THAT EXPANDED
THE PROGRAM TO ALLOW IRAQ TO EXPORT MORE THAN FIVE BILLION
DOLLARS' WORTH OF OIL EVERY SIX MONTHS.
IT IS CLEAR THAT IF THE OIL-FOR-FOOD PROGRAM WERE NOT IN
PLACE, SADDAM HUSSEIN WOULD CONTINUE TO EXPLOIT THE SUFFERING OF
THE IRAQI PEOPLE IN HOPES OF FORCING THE U-N SECURITY COUNCIL TO
LIFT THE SANCTIONS. AS UNDER SECRETARY OF STATE PICKERING
STRESSED, "THE OIL-FOR-FOOD PROGRAM IS THE KEY TO SUSTAINING THE
SANCTIONS REGIME UNTIL IRAQ COMPLIES WITH ITS OBLIGATIONS."
ANNCR:
THAT WAS AN EDITORIAL EXPRESSING THE POLICIES OF THE U.S.
GOVERNMENT. IF YOU HAVE A COMMENT, PLEASE WRITE TO EDITORIALS,
V-O-A, WASHINGTON, D-C, 20547, U-S-A. YOU MAY ALSO COMMENT AT
WWW-DOT-VOA-DOT-GOV-SLASH-EDITORIALS, OR FAX US AT (202)
619-1043.
28-May-98 11:49 AM EDT (1549 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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