DATE=12/2/1999
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=U-S - IRAQ
NUMBER=2-256773
BYLINE=KYLE KING
DATELINE=STATE DEPARTMENT
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: The United States is urging the U-N Security
Council to move quickly on a comprehensive resolution
that would put weapons inspectors back into Iraq.
Officials say they are concerned that Iraq is
rebuilding facilities that could once again be used to
produce weapons of mass destruction. From the State
Department, V-O-A's Kyle King reports.
TEXT: The United Nations Security Council has yet to
resolve differences on how to resume international
weapons inspections in Iraq.
The inspections were halted last year after Iraqi
President Saddam Hussein expelled U-N inspectors.
State Department spokesman James Rubin says the debate
over a comprehensive U-N resolution on Iraq has gone
on long enough, and it is time for the Council to act.
/// RUBIN ACT ///
We think that resolution has been discussed
debated, negotiated, mulled over, poured over,
looked at from every possible direction from
experts from all of the countries for weeks and
months now, and we think the time has come for
the council to act very, very, soon.
/// END ACT ///
The United States is hoping for a comprehensive
resolution that will deal with humanitarian issues,
Iraqi oil exports and the weapons inspections.
Russia is still considering a British proposal for
overall policy toward Iraq, which Baghdad has already
rejected.
Secretary of State Madeleine Albright is expected to
hold more telephone conversations with Russian Foreign
Minister Igor Ivanov in hopes of settling the issue.
News reports say Russia wants to reduce the time it
would take for sanctions imposed on Iraq after the
Gulf War to be lifted if it complies with U-N
Resolutions.
/// OPT ///U-S officials say sanctions could be
suspended if weapons inspectors are allowed back to
monitor compliance with U-N Resolutions. /// END OPT
///
The State Departments' spokesman says a comprehensive
settlement needs to be passed soon since there is
concern that Iraq is rebuilding facilities destroyed
in a U-S and British led military operation last
December.
/// RUBIN ACT TWO ///
We are concerned about that. We will monitor it
quite closely. We do not believe they have
crossed the red line that the President set out
at the time of that military enterprise and that
is that they have reconstituted their weapons of
mass destruction program. We are concerned that
they are repairing and rebuilding some
facilities that could perhaps be used for that.
But the best way to answer the question of what
their programs have and don't have, and what
they are doing and not doing, is as I indicated
earlier, is to get the inspectors back.
/// END ACT ///
The debate over Iraq has taken on added urgency
because the U-N humanitarian oil-for-food program is
set to expire (Saturday, Dec. 4) unless it is extended
by the Security Council.
/// REST OPT ///
U-S officials say they would support another temporary
extension of the program while the details of a
comprehensive settlement are being worked out. France
is proposing a six-month extension desired by Iraq.
NEB/KBK/TVM/JO
02-Dec-1999 20:40 PM EDT (03-Dec-1999 0140 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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