• Military

• WMD Menu                           

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

• Intelligence
• Homeland Security
• Space

Iraq Suspends UNSCOM Monitoring

Iraq News, 31 October 1998

The central focus of Iraq News is the tension between the considerable, proscribed WMD capabilities that Iraq is holding on to and its increasing stridency that it has complied with UNSCR 687 and it is time to lift sanctions. If you wish to receive Iraq News by email, a service which includes full-text of news reports not archived here, send your request to Laurie Mylroie .

I. TEXT, IRAQI STATEMENT ANNOUNCING SUSPENSION OF MONITORING, AP, OCT 31
II. IRAQ SUSPENDS MONITORING, REUTERS, OCT 31
  Yesterday, the UNSC reached agreement on a reply to Iraq's demand
for a comprehensive review.  Today, the RCC and Ba'th party leadership
met and announced the suspension of UNSCOM monitoring.
I. TEXT, IRAQI STATEMENT ANNOUNCING SUSPENSION OF MONITORING
Saturday October 31 10:46 AM EDT
Iraqi Statement on UN Inspectors
By The Associated Press
The text of Iraq's statement today about U.N. weapons monitoring.
Translated from Arabic by The Associated Press.
  Lifting sanctions is a great national humanitarian mission.
  Iraq has dealt with the Security Council resolutions since they were 
issued and complied with all related resolutions, although they
were unjust.
  But this bitter experience, which lasted eight years, has proved that
America and its agents are controlling issues connected to this
problem, moving it with a clear target that is harming Iraq and the Arab
nation.
  Iraq has been tolerant, patient, dealt diplomatically with all 
attempts and communications which were supposed to lead to the lifting 
of sanctions. But the sanctions were not lifted.
  Events this year have exposed two additional dangerous facts. The 
first is the American lies about the presidential sites, which almost
led to a destructive war. ...
  The second is the dirty game that was played by the Special Commission 
and its head in cooperation with America about the VX claims. When the 
truth came out through neutral laboratories in France and Switzerland, 
the head of the commission did not admit the fact but kept requesting of 
Iraq more explanations with the intention of prolonging and misleading. 
No act was taken against (UNSCOM chief Richard) Butler, which should 
have been taken because of his lies and playing with facts.
  Iraq was disappointed because lifting of the sanctions didn't go in a
normal fashion. The latest of these is what happened lately at the
Security Council under clear pressure from America to reject Iraq's 
rights in explaining its compliance in the implementation of
Security Council Resolutions, especially Paragraph C from Resolution 
687, which is supposed to lead to the lifting of sanctions.
  Until the U.N. looks at the issue in an honest and positive way 
leading to Iraq's right to the lifting of the unjust sanctions, and 
until the U.N. takes firm measures by firing the president of the 
Special Commission, Butler, and the reconstruction of the Special
Commission to make it a neutral and professional and international
organization distant from spying and intentionally harming (Iraq)
and serving America, the meeting decides:
  The joint meeting decided to halt all kinds of dealings with the 
Special Commission and its chief and stop all their activities inside
Iraq, including the monitoring starting from today.
  This does not include the International Atomic Energy Agency. They can
continue their monitoring work as per the leadership decision on Aug. 5 
as long as these activities are done independently of the Special 
Commission.
II. IRAQ SUSPENDS MONITORING
Saturday October 31 12:40 PM EDT
Iraq Says Will Not Work With U.N. Inspectors
By Hassan Hafidh
BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Iraq said Saturday it was suspending all cooperation
with U.N. arms inspectors and monitors until the Security Council
reviews the lifting of sanctions and purges its teams of ``American
spies and agents.''
   The Iraqi decision came after a meeting headed by President Saddam
Hussein of the Revolutionary Command Council and the regional command of
the ruling Baath Party.
  ``Until the Security Council examines sincerely and positively Iraq's
right to lifting the unjust embargo, Iraq decides to suspend all forms
of dealing with the (U.N.) Special Commission and its chairman...and
stop all its activities inside Iraq including the monitoring activities
as from today,'' an Iraqi statement said.
   In August, Iraq suspended new spot inspections with the U.N. Special
Commission, in charge of ridding Baghdad of its nuclear, biological,
chemical and ballistic weapons. That decision restricted inspectors to
sites already visited.
   In New York, the U.N. Security Council called an emergency session
for Saturday afternoon to discuss the Iraqi announcement. U.N. spokesman
Fred Eckhard said closed door council consultations will begin at 4 p.m.
EST (2100 GMT).
   UNSCOM's executive chairman Richard Butler, the main focus of Iraq's
latest attacks, is in California and will be heading to the United
Nations shortly. His deputy, Charles Duelfer, has called a telephone
conference with UNSCOM staff in Baghdad.
   Quoting an informed source, Baghdad said in a statement later
Saturday that it had officially informed Nils Carlstrom, director of
Baghdad Monitoring and Verification Center, that its decision ``does not
include a demand to expel or withdraw the inspectors nor halt the work
of cameras and censors.''
   ``The decision only includes a suspension of cooperation with the
UNSCOM and monitors,'' the statement added.
   Iraq apparently was dismayed by the outcome of a Friday council
meeting in which the shape of a new full-fledged review of its relations
with the United Nations was agreed. The comprehensive review might move
the council closer to lifting eight-year-old stringent trade sanctions.
   U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan had proposed the review as an
inducement to Iraq to rescind its Aug. 5 ban.  But the United States
blocked moves that would have lifted the oil embargo if Iraq complied
with weapons demands, insisting Baghdad had to fulfil other requirements
also.
   The United States said Iraq's suspension of cooperation with UNSCOM
was a serious matter and will be discussed by President Clinton's top
national security aides.
   The French Foreign Ministry roundly condemned Iraq's announcement and
told Baghdad to think again.
   Saturday's announcement, according to the statement, would also halt
the crucial monitoring program the United Nations set up to make sure
Iraq does not reacquire any of the banned weapons.
   But Iraq said the Vienna-based International Atomic Energy Agency
(IAEA), the U.N. watchdog for nuclear weapons, could continue its work.
The IAEA recently said Iraq appeared free of atomic arms and related
material, although some data on past programs was still missing.
   Iraq said it had taken the decision because of ``unjust'' sweeping
trade sanctions imposed by the Security Council shortly after Baghdad's
troops invaded Kuwait in August 1990.  A clean bill of health from 
UNSCOM is a key requirement for easing or lifting the embargoes.
   Iraq's statement demanded the council ``take decisive measures'' to
fire Butler ``and restructure UNSCOM in such a way as to make it a
neutral and professional international body.''
   It said UNSCOM was a cover for international espionage.
   Iraq has frequently accused Butler and his team of following the
hardline policies of the United States and thereby prolonging the
sanctions, particularly the free flow of oil.
   In October, UNSCOM sent home two inspectors after Baghdad leveled
spying charges against them for taking unauthorized pictures.  Butler
admitted that the inspectors had violated UNSCOM rules, but dismissed
the spying allegations.
   Iraq's statement also accused Butler of ``playing a dirty game'' in
coordination with the U.S. to distort results of deadly VX nerve gas
tests of samples of Iraqi missile warheads.
   It said Butler should be punished for not admitting that Iraq had not
filled VX in warheads as was proved by French and Swiss laboratories.
   Of the three reports issued by the U.N. last Monday, the U.S. study
asserted Baghdad had VX shells ready for use in the war while the French
and Swiss reports were inconclusive. They said a second round of U.S.
tests from other samples proved negative.