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05 November 1998

SECURITY COUNCIL DEMANDS IRAQ RESUME COOPERATION WITH UNSCOM

(Says comprehensive review is still on the table) (530)
By Judy Aita
USIA United Nations Correspondent
United Nations -- The Security Council November 5 unanimously
condemned Iraq's decision to end cooperation with the UN Special
Commission overseeing the destruction of Iraqi weapons (UNSCOM) as a
"flagrant violation" of the Gulf War cease-fire terms and demanded
that Iraq "immediately and unconditionally" rescind that decision.
US Ambassador Peter Burleigh said that "the Security Council has sent
a clear and unmistakable message to Iraq: non-compliance will not be
rewarded or tolerated. Iraqi efforts to defy council resolutions and
obtain a lifting of sanctions without full compliance have failed and
will fail."
"Iraq should recognize the gravity of the situation it has created,"
Burleigh said. "Iraq must turn back from the dangerous and
self-defeating course it has chosen."
"The United States sincerely hopes that Iraq will heed the clear
message of this resolution and take the necessary steps without
delay," the ambassador said.
The council moved quickly to formalize its position on Iraq's October
31 decision to stop all cooperation with UNSCOM, including the
long-term monitoring program. The decree followed an August decision
by Baghdad to stop the intrusive investigations by UN weapons experts.
Security Council members have been shocked by Iraq's attitude coming
at a time when they were planning for a comprehensive review, a
development Baghdad has been pressing for.
The council expressed its full support for UNSCOM and the
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) which are responsible for
ridding Iraq of its nuclear, chemical and biological weapons and
ballistic missiles and related programs. The conditions are detailed
in resolution 687 adopted at the end of the 1991 Gulf War.
Compliance with the resolution, adopted under Chapter VII of the UN
Charter, is mandatory.
Council members were also quick to point out that they are still
willing to conduct the comprehensive review of Iraq's compliance with
the cease-fire demands as long as Iraq resumes full cooperation with
UNSCOM and IAEA. The review is a major step in the lifting of the
eight-year-old sanctions, including the oil embargo.
In its resolution, the council noted that by Iraq's "failure so far to
comply with its relevant obligations, Iraq has delayed the moment when
the council" can move to lift sanctions.
The resolution was co-sponsored by Brazil, Costa Rica, Japan, Sweden,
Slovenia, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
British Ambassador Jeremy Greenstock said that the resolution "gives a
very clear two-fold message: a condemnation of the decision of Iraq
... and a request to Iraq to rescind that decision."
The second message is to confirm that the comprehensive review is
still an open offer to Iraq if it resumes cooperating with the UN, the
ambassador said. "That is a good message, a strong message we want
Iraq to listen to. It is a genuine message."
The British ambassador, whose delegation drafted the resolution, said
that the council wants "to move on a diplomat route ... We do not want
to see any other route forward than that."