DATE=8/11/98
TYPE=BACKGROUND REPORT
NUMBER=5-41124
TITLE=IRAQ/ EKEUS/ SANCTIONS
BYLINE=NICK SIMEONE
DATELINE=WASHINGTON
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: A SPECIAL U-N ENVOY IS HEADING TO IRAQ TO TRY TO RESOLVE
THE LATEST STANDOFF BETWEEN BAGHDAD AND U-N WEAPONS INSPECTORS.
LAST WEEK, IRAQ ANNOUNCED IT WOULD NO LONGER COOPERATE WITH U-N
INSPECTORS SEARCHING FOR BANNED WEAPONS, UNLESS THE U-N BODY
OVERSEEING DISARMAMENT IS RESTRUCTURED. ANALYSTS SAY BAGHDAD IS
AGAIN TRYING TO TEST THE WILL OF THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY TO
KEEP NEARLY A DECADE OF SANCTIONS IN PLACE. CORRESPONDENT NICK
SIMEONE EXAMINES WHETHER THE IRAQI STRATEGY WILL WORK.
TEXT: IRAQ'S ANNOUNCEMENT BROKE AN AGREEMENT PRESIDENT SADDAM
HUSSEIN NEGOTIATED WITH U-N SECRETARY GENERAL KOFI ANNAN IN
FEBRUARY, ONE THAT PREVENTED A U-S MILITARY STRIKE.
LAST WEEK, THE U-N SECURITY COUNCIL CONDEMNED IRAQ'S DECISION TO
END COOPERATION. BUT U-N CORRESPONDENT MAX RUSTON SAYS THE
COUNCIL'S FIVE PERMANENT MEMBERS APPEAR INCREASINGLY DIVIDED ON
THE LARGER ISSUE OF HOW LONG IRAQI SANCTIONS SHOULD REMAIN IN
PLACE.
// RUSTON ACT //
CHINA, FRANCE, AND RUSSIA FAVOR AN APPROACH WHERE IRAQ
IS REWARDED FOR SOME OF THE MEASURES IT HAS TAKEN, FOR
SOME OF THE PROGRESS THAT HAS BEEN MADE. WHILE BRITAIN
AND THE UNITED STATES ARE TAKING A MORE ALL-OR-NOTHING
APPROACH WHERE ONCE IRAQ HAS FULLY COMPLETED THE
PROCESS, THEN THEY SAY THE SANCTIONS WILL BE FULLY
LIFTED.
// END ACT //
ANDREW PARASILITI, AN EXPERT ON IRAQ AT WASHINGTON'S MIDDLE EAST
INSTITUTE, BELIEVES BAGHDAD HAS CONCLUDED DIPLOMATIC BRINKMANSHIP
IS AN EFFECTIVE WAY TO TEST THE WILL OF THE SECURITY COUNCIL.
// PARASILITI ACT //
ONE LESSON THAT SADDAM HUSSEIN MAY HAVE LEARNED FROM
FEBRUARY IS THAT CRISIS DIPLOMACY WORKS. IF YOU
REMEMBER, WHAT SADDAM HUSSEIN WAS ABLE TO DO DURING THAT
PERIOD OF CRISIS FROM NOVEMBER, 1997 TO FEBRUARY, '98
WAS TO EXPLOIT DIVISIONS AMONG SECURITY COUNCIL MEMBERS
ON IRAQ, TO GATHER AND REVEAL THE DEPTH OF FRUSTRATION
IN THE ARAB WORLD FOR U-S POLICY TOWARD IRAQ, AND ALSO
TO GAIN THE INTERVENTION OF THE SECRETARY GENERAL.
THESE WERE POLITICAL GAINS FOR SADDAM HUSSEIN.
// END ACT //
WATCHING THIS LATEST STANDOFF FROM HIS JOB AS SWEDEN'S AMBASSADOR
TO WASHINGTON IS FORMER CHIEF U-N WEAPONS INSPECTOR ROLF EKEUS.
HIS ADVICE: IRAQ SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED TO INFLUENCE THE SECURITY
COUNCIL BY BULLYING THE U-N WEAPONS COMMISSION, KNOWN AS UNSCOM.
// EKEUS ACT //
THE KEY IS THAT REACTION SHOULD BE MATURE, STEADY (AND)
NOT DEVIATE FROM THE LINE WHICH HAS BEEN LAID DOWN BY
THE COUNCIL.
// END ACT //
IRAQ MAINTAINS IT HAS ELIMINATED OR ACCOUNTED FOR ALL OF ITS
BANNED WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION AND ACCUSES UNSCOM OF BEING A
TOOL OF THE UNITED STATES.
IRAQ SPECIALIST ANDREW PARASILITI BELIEVES BAGHDAD MAY BE
PARTIALLY CORRECT IN THINKING THE SANCTIONS ISSUE MAY ULTIMATELY
BOIL DOWN TO POST GULF WAR ENMITY BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES AND
IRAQ.
// SECOND PARASILITI ACT //
IN MARCH OF 1997, SECRETARY OF STATE ALBRIGHT, IN HER
FIRST MAJOR POLICY ADDRESS ON IRAQ, SAID THAT SANCTIONS
WILL REMAIN UNTIL IRAQ SHOWS ITS PEACEFUL INTENTIONS AND
SHE ADDED THAT THE EVIDENCE IS THAT SADDAM HUSSEIN'S
INTENTIONS WILL NEVER BE PEACEFUL. THAT MEANS THAT THE
UNITED STATES SEES SANCTIONS AS A MEANS OF CONTAINING
IRAQ AND THAT THOSE MEANS COULD AND WOULD, IF THE UNITED
STATES HAS ITS WAY, REMAIN IN PLACE AS LONG AS SADDAM
HUSSEIN IS THERE. THAT IS NOT THE POSITION OF THE OTHER
MEMBERS OF THE SECURITY COUNCIL.
// END ACT //
FORMER UNSCOM CHIEF ROLF EKEUS EXPECTS THE SECURITY COUNCIL TO
KEEP SANCTIONS IN PLACE -- NOT BECAUSE OF U-S POLICY -- BUT
BECAUSE OF IRAQ'S POOR RECORD OF COMPLIANCE ON ARMS CONTROL.
// SECOND EKEUS ACT //
IT IS IN THE HANDS OF THE IRAQI LEADERSHIP TO MAKE UP
ITS MIND AND SAY THEY HAVE NOTHING TO WIN IN CHALLENGING
THE RESOLUTIONS, THE SECURITY COUNCIL.
// END ACT //
U-N SECRETARY GENERAL KOFI ANNAN'S SPECIAL ENVOY TO IRAQ IS DUE
IN BAGHDAD LATER THIS WEEK TO TRY TO RESOLVE THIS LATEST STANDOFF
OVER WEAPONS INSPECTIONS. (SIGNED)
NEB/RAE
11-Aug-98 1:13 PM EDT (1713 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
.
|
NEWSLETTER
|
|
Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list
|
|
|
