• Military

• WMD Menu                           

• Introduction
• Systems
• Facilities
• Agencies
• Operations
• Countries
• Hot Documents
• News
• Reports
• Policy
• Budget
• Congress
• Links

• Intelligence
• Homeland Security
• Space

DATE=6/4/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-233384
TITLE=IRAQ / WEAPONS (L)
BYLINE=MAX RUSTON
DATELINE=UNITED NATIONS
CONTENT=
VOICED AT: 
INTRO:  U-N WEAPONS INSPECTOR RICHARD BUTLER SAYS HE BELIEVES 
IRAQ COULD MAKE SIGNIFICANT PROGRESS THIS YEAR TOWARDS THE 
LIFTING OF SANCTIONS IMPOSED AFTER THE GULF WAR.  V-O-A'S MAX 
RUSTON REPORTS MR. BUTLER SPOKE WITH REPORTERS TODAY (THURSDAY) 
AFTER COMPLETING TWO DAYS OF TALKS ON THE ISSUE WITH THE U-N 
SECURITY COUNCIL.
TEXT:  MR. BUTLER'S BRIEFING TO THE SECURITY COUNCIL WAS BASED ON
A THREE-PAGE DOCUMENT OUTLINING TASKS THAT MUST BE COMPLETED TO 
VERIFY THAT IRAQ HAS DESTROYED ITS WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION.  
MR. BUTLER SAYS THE 14 ITEMS ON THE LIST COULD BE SEEN AS A 
ROADMAP TOWARDS THE LIFTING OF SANCTIONS.  HE SAYS HE WILL 
PRESENT IT TO IRAQI DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER TARIQ AZIZ NEXT WEEK.
                       /// BUTLER ACT ///
         THE NEXT STEP IS WE WILL LEAVE FOR BAGHDAD AT THE 
         BEGINNING OF NEXT WEEK AND WE WILL TAKE THIS LIST TO 
         BAGHDAD TO MR. TARIQ AZIZ, WITH WHOM I WILL BE HAVING 
         CONSULTATIONS, AND DISCUSS WITH HIM WHAT IS ON THIS LIST
         AND SOME HAVE CALLED IT A ROAD MAP, SO I SAID I WOULD 
         ALSO NEED TO DISCUSS WITH HIM THE DRIVING INSTRUCTIONS 
         FOR THAT ROAD MAP, THAT IS HOW LONG IT WOULD TAKE, WHAT 
         THE STOPS ALONG THE WAY WOULD BE, WHAT WOULD BE THE BEST
         WAYS FOR US TO FULFILL THIS LIST.
                         /// END ACT ///
THE LIST IS DOMINATED BY REQUESTS FOR MATERIALS ON IRAQ'S 
MISSILE, CHEMICAL AND BIOLOGICAL WEAPONS PROGRAMS.  MR. BUTLER 
SAYS ONLY SMALL AMOUNTS OF INFORMATION ARE NEEDED ON SOME ISSUES,
SUCH AS THE ACCOUNTING OF SPECIAL WARHEADS.  BUT HE SAYS MUCH 
MORE INFORMATION IS NEEDED ON BIOLOGICAL WEAPONS.
MR. BUTLER'S REMARKS WERE SOMEWHAT CONCILIATORY COMPARED TO 
COMMENTS EARLIER IN THE DAY FROM U-S AMBASSADOR TO THE UNITED 
NATIONS BILL RICHARDSON.  MR. RICHARDSON SAID IRAQ IS A LONG WAY 
FROM HAVING SANCTIONS LIFTED.  HE SAID MR. BUTLER'S BRIEFING 
INDICATED IRAQ MAY STILL BE IN POSSESSION OF BIOLOGICAL WEAPONS, 
INCLUDING DEADLY NERVE GAS.
SOME OTHER SECURITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, INCLUDING RUSSIA, CHINA AND 
FRANCE, HAVE PRESSED FOR A MORE FLEXIBLE APPROACH TOWARDS WEAPONS
INSPECTIONS AND SANCTIONS.  THEY SAY IRAQ SHOULD BE GIVEN CREDIT 
FOR PROGRESS MADE SO FAR OR ELSE A NEW CRISIS COULD DEVELOP IN 
THE MIDDLE EAST.
SECURITY COUNCIL RESOLUTIONS SAY MR. BUTLER'S INSPECTION TEAM -- 
UNSCOM -- MUST VERIFY THAT IRAQ NO LONGER HAS ANY WEAPONS OF MASS
DESTRUCTION BEFORE SANCTIONS CAN BE LIFTED.  THE NEXT FULL-SCALE 
REVIEW OF THOSE SANCTIONS IS SCHEDULED FOR OCTOBER.  (SIGNED)
NEB/UN/MPR/LSF/PT
04-Jun-98 5:21 PM EDT (2121 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
.