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DATE=12/19/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-243313
TITLE=BLAIR / IRAQ (L)
BYLINE=LAURIE KASSMAN
DATELINE=LONDON
CONTENT=
VOICED AT: 
INTRO:  THE ANNOUNCEMENT CAME AT THE SAME TIME IN WASHINGTON AND 
IN LONDON (SATURDAY NIGHT): "OPERATION DESERT FOX" IS OVER.  
BRITISH PRIME MINISTER TONY BLAIR FOUR DAYS OF AIR STRIKES 
AGAINST IRAQ HAVE SUCCESSFULLY DIMINISHED SADDAM HUSSEIN'S 
MILITARY CAPABILITIES, AND LEFT MUCH OF HIS MILITARY 
INFRASTRUCTURE IN RUINS. CORRESPONDENT LAURIE KASSMAN REPORTS 
FROM LONDON.
TEXT:  PRIME MINISTER BLAIR SAYS FOUR DAYS OF AIR STRIKES AGAINST
IRAQI MILITARY TARGETS HAVE REDUCED SADDAM HUSSEIN'S THREAT TO 
HIS NEIGHBORS.
                        /// BLAIR ACT ///
         WE SET OUT TO DIMINISH AND DEGRADE SADDAM'S MILITARY 
         CAPABILITIES, AND WE HAVE DONE SO.  SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE 
         HAS BEEN INFLICTED ON HIS AIR-DEFENSE SYSTEM, ON HIS 
         COMMAND-AND-CONTROL SYSTEMS FOR HIS ARMED FORCES, [ON 
         HIS] MISSILE-PRODUCTION CAPABIITIES AND THE SYSTEM WHICH
         COULD BE USED FOR BIOLOGICAL AND CHEMICAL WARFARE.
                         /// END ACT ///
MR. BLAIR REPORTS THERE WAS SERIOUS DAMAGE TO SADDAM HUSSEIN'S 
ELITE REPUBLICAN GUARD, WHICH HE SAYS PLAYS A KEY ROLE IN 
CONCEALING IRAQ'S WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION.
THE PRIME MINISTER SAYS OPERATION DESERT FOX WAS PLANNED TO LAST 
ONLY FOUR DAYS, BECAUSE OF U-S AND BRITISH SENSITIVITY TO THE 
MUSLIM HOLY MONTH OF RAMADAN (WHICH HAS JUST BEGUN).  THE BRITISH
LEADER CALLS THE AIR STRIKES THE RIGHT AND PROPORTIONATE RESPONSE
TO SADDAM HUSSEIN'S BREACH OF U-N OBLIGATIONS.
                        /// BLAIR ACT ///
         WHAT IS MORE HE HAS NOW RECEIVED THE CLEAREST POSSIBLE 
         SIGNAL OF OUR INTENT TO TAKE ACTION BY FORCE, SHOULD HE 
         ONCE AGAIN ACT IN DEFIANCE OF HIS INTERNATIONAL 
         OBLIGATIONS, IN THE FACE OF AN INTENATIONAL COMMUNITY 
         UNITED IN ITS DETERMINATION TO CONTAIN THE THREAT WHICH 
         HE POSES.
                         /// END ACT ///
MR. BLAIR WARNS WASHINGTON AND LONDON WILL REMAIN VIGILANT AND 
READY TO STRIKE AGAIN, TO CONTAIN WHAT HE CALLS SADDAM HUSSEIN'S 
ABUSES OF POWER AND HIS THREATS TO REGIONAL STABILITY. 
BUT FIRST-HAND MONITORING OF IRAQ'S MILITARY CAPABILITIES WILL  
NOT  BE POSSIBLE.  IRAQ'S VICE PRESIDENT HAS ANNOUNCED THAT U-N 
INSPECTORS WILL  NOT  BE WELCOME BACK IN THE COUNTRY.  AMERICAN 
AND BRITISH OFFICIALS SAY IT WAS SADDAM HUSSEIN'S PATTERN OF 
CONFRONTATION AND OBSTRUCTION OF THE U-N WEAPONS MONITORS THAT 
CREATED THE NEED FOR MILITARY ACTION.   (SIGNED)
NEB/LK/WTW
19-Dec-98 8:15 PM EST (0115 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
.