DATE=1/14/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-225282
TITLE=IRAQ/U-N (L)
BYLINE=DOUGLAS ROBERTS
DATELINE=CAIRO
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: THE LATEST CONFRONTATION BETWEEN IRAQ AND THE UNITED
NATIONS ESCALATED WEDNESDAY. THE SECURITY COUNCIL DEPLORED
BAGHDAD'S DECISION TO PREVENT AN AMERICAN-LED TEAM OF U-N WEAPONS
INSPECTORS FROM CARRYING OUT ITS MISSION. BUT IRAQ'S DEPUTY
PRIME MINISTER TARIQ AZIZ TOLD REPORTERS HIS GOVERNMENT WILL NOT
BACK DOWN. MORE FROM MIDDLE-EAST CORRESPONDENT DOUGLAS ROBERTS.
TEXT: WHILE SOME U-N ARMS EXPERTS CONTINUED THEIR WORK WEDNESDAY
IN IRAQ, U-N TEAM HEADED BY AMERICAN SCOTT RITTER WAS EFFECTIVELY
BARRED FROM VISITING SUSPECTED WEAPONS SITES FOR THE SECOND DAY.
AT A NEWS CONFERENCE LATE IN THE DAY IN BAGHDAD, DEPUTY PRIME
MINISTER AZIZ SAID THE BAN WILL REMAIN IN EFFECT UNTIL THE
COMPOSITION OF MR. RITTER'S TEAM IS CHANGED, TO REDUCE THE NUMBER
OF U-S AND BRITISH CITIZENS.
ECHOING COMMENTS HE MADE WHEN THE CRISIS ERUPTED LAST OCTOBER,
MR. AZIZ COMPLAINED WASHINGTON AND LONDON CONTINUE TO DOMINATE
THE WORK OF THE ARMS COMMISSION, PROVIDING FALSE INFORMATION TO
THE SECURITY COUNCIL. HE SAYS THEIR AIM IS TO PROLONG THE
INSPECTION PROCESS AND ENSURE THE U-N ECONOMIC SANCTIONS AGAINST
IRAQ REMAIN IN FORCE INDEFINITELY.
SECURITY COUNCIL RESOLUTIONS STIPULATE THE SANCTIONS CAN ONLY BE
LIFTED ONCE THE U-N COMMISSION HAS VERIFIED THE ELIMINATION OF
IRAQ'S WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION AND ITS LONG RANGE MISSILES.
MR. AZIZ CONTENDED VERIFICATION WOULD COME QUICKLY IF THE MAKE-UP
OF THE ARMS COMMISSION WAS MORE BALANCED. IRAQ HAS LONG
MAINTAINED ALL ITS NUCLEAR, BIOLOGICAL AND CHEMICAL WEAPONS HAVE
BEEN DESTROYED.
THE DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER ACKNOWLEDGED MR. RITTER'S INSPECTION
TEAM WAS SEEKING INFORMATION ABOUT REPORTS BAGHDAD HAD TESTED
BIOLOGICAL WEAPONS ON HUMANS. THE U-N HAS ACKNOWLEDGED NO
DOCUMENTS WERE FOUND TO SUBSTANTIATE THE REPORTS, ND MR. AZIZ
DECLARED NO SUCH TESTS WERE CARRIED OUT.
THE IRAQI OFFICIAL ACCUSED THE HEAD OF THE COMMISSION, AUSTRALIAN
DIPLOMAT RICHARD BUTLER, OF PROCRASTINATING OVER PROPOSALS FROM
RUSSIA, FRANCE, AND CHINA TO INCREASE THEIR PARTICIPATION IN THE
COMMISSION.
MR. AZIZ SAID MOST MEMBERS OF THE SECURITY COUNCIL, WITH THE
EXCEPTION OF THE UNITED STATES AND BRITAIN, UNDERSTAND IRAQ'S
GRIEVANCES. HE SAID BAGHDAD APPRECIATES EFFORTS BY A NUMBER OF
COUNTRIES TO RESOLVE THE IMPASSE.
HE INDICATED THE IRAQI GOVERNMENT IS PREPARED TO GIVE THOSE
EFFORTS MORE TIME. HE SAID IRAQ HAS NO PLANS TO EXPEL THE
AMERICAN MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION, AS IT DID LAST NOVEMBER. IN
RESPONSE TO QUESTIONS, HE POINTEDLY DECLINED TO RENEW IRAQ'S
EARLIER THREAT TO SHOOT DOWN U-S RECONNAISSANCE PLANES USED BY
THE UNITED NATIONS TO MONITOR IRAQI WEAPONS SITES.
MR. AZIZ CONFIRMED HE WILL GO AHEAD WITH A PLANNED MEETING WITH
COMMISSION CHAIRMAN BUTLER, WHO IS DUE IN BAGHDAD EARLY NEXT
WEEK. (SIGNED)
NEB/DBR/WDC/RAE
14-Jan-98 3:08 PM EST (2008 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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