23 November 1998
IRAQ SUBMITS THIRD EXPLANATION ON DOCUMENT ACCESS
(US calls Iraq response sop far "disappointing") (597) By Judy Aita USIA United Nations Correspondent United Nations -- After calling Iraq's explanation for denying U.N. weapons inspectors access to documents "inadequate," the United States says it is reviewing Baghdad's latest explanation of its actions. Iraqi Ambassador Nizar Hamdoon November 23 delivered an 18-page letter to the U.S. delegation, which has the presidency of the U.N. Security Council for the month of November. Hamdoon did not, however, meet with chief U.S. delegate Ambassador Peter Burleigh who was chairing a private Security Council session on Haiti at the time. The letter was then sent to the other 14 council members. Hamdoon told journalists afterwards the letter attempts to "make clear to the council that Iraq is in no way showing any signs of non-cooperation." "Iraq wants to cooperate" and finish "this whole job" of the work of the Special Commission overseeing the destruction of Iraqi weapons (UNSCOM) and move onto a comprehensive review and the lifting of sanctions, the Iraqi envoy said. "Our letter is indicative of our frustration with the effort to change the work of UNSCOM from disarmament to...opening Iraqi archives to UNSCOM," he said. Hamdoon said Iraq's latest letter, as well as two others which were delivered over the weekend, were a rebuttal of UNSCOM Chairman Richard Butler's November 20 report to the Security Council. Butler told the council Iraq is refusing to supply U.N. weapons inspectors with documents dealing with its biological weapons program. Instead, Butler said Baghdad wants the comprehensive review to determine whether there is any part of the weapons program left to investigate. Butler pointed out that "on four occasions during the last 18 months, international experts have concluded unanimously that Iraq's current disclosure statement in this area is deeply deficient and does not provide a basis for any credible level of verification." "The experts recommended that Iraq be requested to provide to (UNSCOM) further information and documents," he said. At particular issue is an Iraqi Air Force document that weapons inspectors found in July that deals with how many chemical warfare agents Iraq used in the 1980's during its war with Iran. Iraqi officials took the document from the weapons inspectors and in August issued the first declaration banning inspections. A second decree Iraq issued against UNSCOM and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in late October almost led to a military strike until Iraq agreed on November 14 to resume full cooperation with the U.N. Hamdoon said Iraq is willing to "share" the Air Force document with UNSCOM provided that Prakash Shah, the special representative of U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan, is present. U.S. Ambassador Peter Burleigh called Iraq's first two letters of explanation "insufficient," "inadequate," and "a disappointing reaction." In its letter to the council November 14, Iraq said it would "unconditionally and fully cooperate with UNSCOM and the IAEA," Burleigh pointed out. Iraq's responsibility is to provide "information as well as access for the inspectors on the ground," Burleigh said. "They are an important part of what all the council believed the definition of what cooperation is to be." The Security Council is also reviewing the oil-for-food program which allows Iraq to sell more than $5,000 million in oil every six months to buy humanitarian supplies under UN supervision. The council is expected to renew the program, which expires November 25, for another six months.
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