DoD News Briefing
Tuesday, December 7, 1999 - 10:45 a.m. EST
Presenter: Secretary of Defense William S. Cohen
Joint Media Availability with Minister of Defense Patrick Lekota, Republic of South Africa
............Q: Secretary Cohen, I was reading recently the views of a prominent nuclear weapons expert who said that Iraq was still trying to purchase dual use technology that could be used for constructing nuclear weapons and in fact had modified its design for nuclear weapons to something that would be small enough to fit on a SCUD missile. Is this true? And is there any other evidence that Iraq is resuming its quest to be a nuclear power?
Secretary Cohen: I think as you indicated, Iraq is still trying to acquire nuclear materials or nuclear weapons. I wouldn't disagree with that characterization. I think they have in their minds an ability at some future time to be able to develop weapons of mass destruction, which is precisely the reason why we've insisted that inspectors must go back in. There can be no relief from the sanctions until such time as there's full compliance with the UN resolutions. But I can't express any kind of agreement with the individual you referred to.
I don't have the information that would conclude that they have acquired any nuclear weapons or have modified their systems to be able to have something on a smaller nuclear capability. But what I would say is that it's all the more imperative that we have inspectors on the ground to make sure that they are not trying to rebuild it.
Q: Have they been able to acquire elements or components for nuclear weapons?
Secretary Cohen: I don't have any information that I could confirm that story at this point. I think they are determined to rebuild their military, which is one reason why again, we've insisted so strongly that there must be an enforcement of the no-fly zones and there must be an enforcement of the sanctions, and no relief until such time as they fully comply with the existing sanctions for precisely the kind of allegations that are being made today. I can't comment in terms of the intelligence aspect of what they have been doing or trying to do. It is my personal belief that they will seek to redevelop or develop their WMD capability and that's the reason we have to insist upon full compliance.
Q: Would you clarify, Mr. Secretary, when UNSCOM was last in, they really felt that the nuclear program, as I understand it, was pretty much moribund whereas the chemical and biological might have been continuing. Are you telling us something different today, that the nuclear program may be...
Secretary Cohen: I'm saying we don't know. The fact is until you have inspectors on the ground to certify that they have not tried to reconstitute it, no one can tell you one way or the other. So because of the absence of having this kind of intelligence you're left in the realm of speculation or someone writing an article saying he or she is convinced that they have acquired such technology, we are not in a position to confirm that. That's what I'm suggesting. It's all the more reason why we have to satisfy ourselves and the world community that they have in fact complied with UN Security Council resolutions. Until we have inspectors back on the ground, we're left in the realm of speculation and of individual reports coming through that we are not able to verify.
Q: Are you concerned, sir, that weapons grade materials, enriched uranium or plutonium, may be more available on the open market today than perhaps ten years ago, and that Iraq is working to get a hold of some of these materials?
Secretary Cohen: I think everyone is concerned about the availability of potential nuclear materials arriving in the hands or being acquired by rogue states such as Iraq. And that certainly has intensified over the past ten years. I think it's fair to say that.
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:special
http://www.defenselink.mil/news/Dec1999/t12071999_t207afri.html
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