Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)

DATE=11/07/00

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

TITLE=U-S / IRAQ FLIGHTS (L ONLY)

NUMBER=2-268952

BYLINE=ALEX BELIDA

DATELINE=PENTAGON

CONTENT=

VOICED AT:

INTRO: The U-S Defense Department has ordered procedural changes to make sure U-S and British warplanes do not shoot down Iraqi civilian aircraft in the so-called no-fly zones in Iraq that have been enforced since the end of the Gulf war. V-O-A Correspondent Alex Belida reports from the Pentagon.

TEXT: Iraq resumed domestic passenger flights to cities in both the northern and southern no-fly zones on Sunday - the first such flights since 1991.

But Pentagon spokesman Ken Bacon says the purpose of the exclusion zones is to prevent Iraq from attacking its neighbors or its own people. He says the civilian flights do not pose a problem.

/// BACON ACTUALITY 1 ///

We do not think that these civilian flights will interfere with that at all, that we can discriminate against - we can discriminate between military flights and mobilization flights on the one hand, and civilian flights on the other.

/// END ACTUALITY ///

Nevertheless, Mr. Bacon says the defense department has ordered what he terms "appropriate changes" in procedures to ensure none of the civilian flights is accidentally targeted by U-S and British warplanes.

He gives no details. But he suggests the Iraqi civilian flights face a greater threat from the Iraqi anti-aircraft units that occasionally fire at coalition planes.

/// BACON ACTUALITY 2 ///

The Iraqis have been firing wildly at times at the coalition U-S and British planes enforcing the no-fly zone. And obviously, there is some risk that, due to lack of communications or over-enthusiasm, that they might fire at one of their own planes. We don't - we are being very careful to deconflict civilian from military planes. We hope they are being as careful.

/// END ACTUALITY ///

Mr. Bacon says the United States has not received any formal notification from the government of Iraq about the flight plans or flight paths of aircraft involved in the new civilian flights. (Signed)

NEB/BEL/JWH