14 September 2000
U.S. Opposes Plans for Russia to Resume Flights to Iraq
Saddam Hussein must continue to be contained, Albright says By Judy Aita Washington File United Nations Correspondent United Nations -- U.S. opposition to Iraq's leader Saddam Hussein will outlast her tenure as U.S. Secretary of State, Madeleine Albright said September 14 at a press conference following a luncheon meeting with European Union foreign ministers. Albright is in New York at U.N. headquarters attending what is expected to be her last General Assembly opening as secretary of state. "This is not an issue that is based on my tenure. It is one that is American policy," the secretary said. "Saddam Hussein crossed an international boundary, invaded another country, raped and pillaged and helped to destroy the way that country (Kuwait) operated," she said. "He took back prisoners, he took back loot of various kinds. He lied about the fact that he had weapons of mass destruction. He proceeded to work on reconstituting them. He prevented United Nations inspectors from going in. He has systematically tried to undermine the people in the south and the people in the north." "He has refused to abide by the will of the international community. He is in a box and I believe that what we have accomplished" since he invaded Kuwait "is that we have kept him contained and, I think, that it is important to continue doing so," the secretary said. Asked about the recent announcement that the Russian airlines Aeroflot was going to begin passenger flights into Baghdad next month, which would be in violation of U.N. sanctions, Albright said that "we disagree with those who wish to fly into Iraq....I don't think it is a good idea." The secretary added that she would make that position "clear" when she met with the Russian foreign minister later in the day. Albright also said she saw the recent Iraqi overflights into no-fly zones as "carefully orchestrated in order to create a confrontational atmosphere during the Millennium Summit and during the General Assembly." She restated what she called "our red line" which could bring U.S. retaliation. "If there are attacks or provocations against the Kurds in the north; if there are threats against the neighbors and against our forces; or a reconstitution of the weapons of mass destruction," the secretary said, "we do have a credible force in the region and are prepared to use it in an appropriate way at a place of our choosing." "But the bottom line here is very simple. The rules are laid out (resolution) 1284 is the clearest roadmap there is and the way to proceed is not to threaten anybody or to make up stories but to ...pick up the key and the key is Dr. (Hans) Blix and UNMOVIC (weapons inspectors) and that is the way for sanctions suspension," Albright said. Albright also said that she and the EU ministers agreed on a number of other issues, especially the need for free and fair elections in the Balkans. In Southeast Europe, she said, "there are a series of critical elections in the weeks ahead and we are united in our call for free and fair elections in Serbia." "What is important here is that the opposition in Serbia continue to work very hard for these elections which, unfortunately, we are concerned that Milosevic will steal," the secretary said. "It is important, therefore, for the international community and for the Serbian people to be vigilant throughout the whole process, especially the counting process so that they can expose what happens and reject the results if the election is stolen," Albright said. "The Serbian people should have a right, just like everybody in the world, to vote the government they want and to have a free and fair count," she said. The secretary said she and the European ministers discussed ways the EU and U.S. can make clear their solidarity on the elections and increase support "for the courageous men and women who are demanding their right in cities and towns across Serbia." "There is a need to reinforce our efforts under the Stability Pact to carry out projects that have a timely and tangible impact on people's daily lives," Albright said, especially helping Kosovo through the coming winter. On the Middle East peace talks, the secretary said that the U.S. "will pursue the same agenda that we have been pursuing, fully aware of the fact that time is short. The U.S. will use "a variety of venues and a variety of combinations" of negotiators, she said. Albright said that the fact that September 13 passed without the Palestinian Authority unilaterally declaring an independent state "is positive and provided some breathing space for negotiations." "If it makes sense we will bring" the two sides together, she said. The secretary also said she discussed the issue of changing the U.N. dues structure with the ministers. "Without reforms the U.N. financial structure is unsustainable and there is now increased agreement that the U.N. scale of assessment, particularly for peacekeeping, needs to be revised," she said. "Changing the scale of assessment is very much an American priority," Albright said. "For the U.N. to work it has to have a stable financial basis and not depend on one country for the majority of its financing." (The Washington File is a product of the Office of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)
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