14 December 1998
UN SEC-GEN KOFI ANNAN TO IRAQ: TONE DOWN THE RHETORIC
(Sec-Gen: Let's get the weapons inspections done) (710) By Judy Aita USIA United Nations Correspondent United Nations -- Baghdad should tone down the rhetoric on UN weapons inspectors and let the UN Special Commission (UNSCOM) overseeing the destruction of weapons of mass destruction in Iraq get the job done, Secretary General Kofi Annan said December 14. At a year-end press conference, the Secretary General said that "I don't think there should be any rhetoric when we have serious and hard work to do. I don't believe in 'megaphone diplomacy.'" "You can get a lot done if you just get on with it. The more one talks and the more one makes charges and accusations, the much more difficult relationships get," Annan said. "We don't have to love or like people to work with them but when we have a job to do at least we have to develop an instrumental relationship," he said. "That is the least we can do.....those who have the responsibility on both sides have to make sure we stay on the job and remain professional and get the job done," the Secretary General added. Senior Iraqi officials have made a series of statements critical of the inspectors in the past ten days and Iraq has blocked some inspections or prevented weapons experts from carrying out some inspection tasks such as photographing certain sites. "I do not condone what Iraq has been saying nor should they have said it. I just want them to get on with job...cooperate with UNSCOM and get it done, Annan said. The Secretary General said that the assurances he received from Iraq in November "did indicate that they would cooperate and their cooperation was unconditional and clear. I had expected them to cooperate fully," he said. In opening remarks the Secretary General noted that in Iraq all-out war "has been avoided for the time being. But until people abide by their commitments and unless they redouble their efforts to find peaceful solutions, we have every reason to fear the worst in 1999." UNSCOM Chairman Richard Butler is to report to Annan and the Security Council December 14 or 15 on how Iraq has been cooperating since Baghdad rescinded its August declaration not to allow intrusive inspections. Asked about the proposed Security Council comprehensive review of Iraqi compliance with all Gulf War cease-fire demands, Annan said that he was not sure "the comprehensive review is something Iraq deserves or not deserves." "I think the Council, itself, would want to update after years of sanctions what has been resolved, what has been achieved, what needs to be done, and in what reasonable timeframe," he said. Annan also said that he still expects Libya to turn over the two accused suspects in the bombing of PanAm 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland in December 1988 even though there has been no announcement from Tripoli since his high level meeting there earlier this month. Annan met with Libyan leader Mu'ammar Qadhafi and other Libyan leaders December 5 during a trip to northern Africa in an attempt to persuade them to turn over Abdel Basset Ali Mohamed al-Megrahi and Lamen Khalifa Fhimah to be tried before a Scottish court sitting in the Netherlands. But Libya has not accepted the offer instead requesting further clarifications from the United Nations. For several weeks UN legal counsel Hans Correl worked with Libyan lawyers and US and British officials in an attempt to answer Libya's questions on the trial and detention plans. "My sense is we are near a decision and I think they will move in the right direction, but they will have to manage the process internally to decide how they turn the people around," Annan said, noting that in 1992 the People's Congress decided that the two should not be handed over for trial. Annan would not predict when a decision might come adding only that he was given to understand that it would "not take an inordinate amount of time." UN economic sanctions imposed by the Security Council on Libya in 1992 and tightened in 1993 will be suspended when the two accused arrive in the Netherlands.
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