DATE=1/26/2000
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=NEW IRAQ WEAPONS INSPECTOR (L ONLY)
NUMBER=2-258456
BYLINE=BRECK ARDERY
DATELINE=UNITED NATIONS
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: The United Nations Security Council today
(Wednesday) reached agreement on a new chief weapons
inspector for Iraq but he is not the person originally
proposed by U-N Secretary-General Kofi Annan. V-O-A
Correspondent Breck Ardery reports from the United
Nations.
TEXT: In private consultations, the U-N Security
Council reached unanimous agreement that the new head
of the Iraq weapons inspection program should be Hans
Blix. Mr. Blix is a Swedish disarmament expert who
served as Director of the International Atomic Energy
Agency for 16 years.
The selection of Mr. Blix came after the Council was
unable to agree on Rolf Ekeus, a Swedish diplomat who
was nominated by U-N Secretary-General Kofi Annan. Mr.
Ekeus established the first weapons inspection system
in Iraq nine years ago, but his nomination was opposed
by China, France and Russia. Those nations indicated
that, since Mr. Ekeus was not acceptable to Iraq, that
nation would not cooperate with inspections.
U-S Ambassador to the United Nations Richard
Holbrooke, who is this month's President of the
Security Council, told reporters he hopes Iraq will
cooperate with Mr. Blix.
/// HOLBROOKE ACT ///
Let us see what Baghdad does. Let us hope that
they have some residual sense. Because the
international, unanimous opinion has now been
expressed. China was there, Russia was there,
France was there. Let those who saw divisions in
the international community note that I am
speaking now on behalf of a united, unanimous
Security Council.
/// END ACT ///
However, a few minutes after Mr. Holbrooke made his
statement, Iraq seemed to indicate it will not accept
Mr. Blix as the new weapons inspector. Iraq's U-N
ambassador Saeed Hasan said his nation will not
cooperate with the Security Council resolution that
established the new weapons inspection system for
Iraq. (Signed)
NEB/UN/BA/LSF/gm
26-Jan-2000 13:08 PM EDT (26-Jan-2000 1808 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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