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06 October 1998

ANNAN OUTLINES COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW OF IRAQI ACTIONS

(Details of compliance with Gulf War resolutions being finalized)
(910)
By Judy Aita
USIA United Nations Correspondent
United Nations -- Secretary General Kofi Annan October 5 presented to
the Security Council "a possible concept" for a comprehensive review
of Iraq's compliance with the Gulf War cease-fire demands.
During a private meeting with the 15 council members, Annan gave his
views on how and what should be included in the review. The ideas were
based on conversations the secretary general has been having with
members of the council.
Annan, himself, had first suggested the idea of such a review to the
council. In resolution 1194, adopted in September, the council said
that when Iraq began cooperating fully with the weapons inspectors of
the UN Special Commission overseeing the destruction of Iraq's weapons
(UNSCOM) and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), a
comprehensive review would be considered.
Both the secretary general and council members said after the meeting
that a "sine qua non" for the review would be for Iraq to rescind its
decision of August 5 and demonstrate that it has resumed full
cooperation with UNSCOM and the IAEA.
In an informal statement to journalists on behalf of the council,
British Ambassador Jeremy Greenstock, president of the council for the
month of October, emphasized that "the council members reaffirmed the
position set out in resolution 1194 and underline the need for Iraq to
respond rapidly to that resolution."
Annan has met several times in the past week with Iraqi Deputy Prime
Minister Tariq Aziz, who was at UN headquarters to participate in the
opening of the General Assembly, in an attempt to convince Iraq to
resume cooperating with the UN weapons inspectors. The secretary
general has scheduled a final meeting with the Iraqi official for
October 7. Annan hopes to give him the outline of what the review
would entail to take back to Baghdad as an incentive for allowing
UNSCOM to resume inspections, UN officials said.
Annan suggested that the review be divided into two main phases -- one
phase will deal with the elimination of Iraq's chemical, biological
and nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles and their production
programs as stated in resolution 687. The second phase will
concentrate on the other requirements arising out of Iraq's invasion
of Kuwait.
The purpose of the review's first phase would be to define a course of
action and timetable which, if followed, would complete Iraq's
disarmament requirements so that the council can determine if the oil
embargo should be lifted, he said.
The secretary general said the review would clearly determine: if Iraq
still has weapons of mass destruction or any weapons production
equipment; clarify if Iraq is still trying to restart the banned
weapons programs; confirm the validity of any allegations that Iraq
still has the banned weapons; establish a reasonable timetable for
investigation of all remaining weapons issues; and answer the question
whether Iraq still constitutes a military threat to the region.
Annan suggested that UNSCOM and IAEA be asked to "submit succinct
reports" on the weapons and weapons programs that have been destroyed
and the work they judge remains to be done. The two agencies would be
asked to give a tentative timeframe for completing their work based on
the assumption that Iraq will cooperate fully.
The two agencies would also provide their evidence to substantiate
claims that Iraq still has banned weapons or programs, he said.
Iraq would be asked to provide its own separate account of how it has
complied with the disarmament requirements as well, the secretary
general said. Then the council would agree on a list of remaining
requirements and a timetable for Iraq to meet in order for sanctions
to be lifted.
US Ambassador Peter Burleigh said the United States has agreed to the
comprehensive review "after a reasonable period of time."
"The US is still waiting for Iraq to rescind its announcement of
August 5 of noncooperation and to re-establish that cooperation on the
ground," Burleigh told journalists after the meeting.
Before the review can start, the ambassador said, the United States
wants "UNSCOM and IAEA to be re-established on the ground in Iraq
doing their business, including inspections."
Asked what would be a "reasonable period," Burleigh indicated that it
would be "some period of time to make sure (cooperation) is happening
day in and day out."
Diplomats attending the council meeting said that members suggested
anywhere from no waiting period to six weeks from the time Iraq
rescinds the August announcement until the review would begin.
Burleigh also said that the comprehensive review "has to be exactly
that -- a comprehensive review of all relevant resolutions."
"As far as ... the US is concerned, a comprehensive review would be a
factual review of every one of these resolutions and the state of
compliance or non-compliance of Iraq under all the requirements of
these resolutions going back to the period right after the Gulf War,"
he said.
"All of the council understands that means all of the disarmament
under resolution 687, but also the other resolutions having to do with
Kuwait in particular -- the (return of) POWs, the archives, the
Kuwaiti property that is missing and also the human rights situation
in Iraq," the US ambassador said.
(For more information on this subject, contact our special Iraq
website at:
http://www.usia.gov/iraq)