04 October 2002
Powell Confers with Hans Blix October 4 on Iraq Weapons Inspections
(State's Boucher says US seeks one strong UN resolution dealing with Iraq) (1780) State Department Spokesman Richard Boucher said Secretary of State Colin Powell was meeting with the head of the UN weapons inspection team for Iraq, Hans Blix, in Washington October 4 to discuss preparations for "a thorough and complete inspection process." "Now, as it looks like the possibility has arisen, given Iraq's final willingness to say something positive about inspections, under the pressure of the United Nations and the United States and others, we think it's a moment to review with Dr. Blix to make sure we are prepared, he is prepared, and we're prepared to support him," Boucher said, briefing the media at the State Department in Washington October 4. Boucher said the United States wants to see the UN Security Council pass one strong resolution, not two resolutions, with regard to Iraq. He said that resolution should contain a clear recognition that Iraq is in violation of the United Nations, a clear identification of the steps that Iraq and the international community have to take with regard to weapons inspections and a clear indication that there will be consequences if Iraq does not comply. Commenting on a press conference in Washington October 4 by Iraqi women, Boucher said Iraqi women have a large role to play in planning for the future of Iraq. Boucher said the U.S. government has been working with Iraqi academics, opposition figures, independent Iraqis who are outside the country, since about April, on planning for the future of Iraq. Following are excerpts from the transcript of Boucher's October 4 press briefing containing his comments about Iraq: (begin excerpt) MR. BOUCHER: Okay. The Secretary has been briefed on the briefings that Dr. Blix did yesterday to the Security Council and the Perm 5. He is certainly prepared for his discussions today with Dr. Blix, but I would put it context, again. We look forward to hearing from Dr. Blix this afternoon, to hear what he has to say about his discussions with the Iraqis, about his preparations for inspections, his capabilities, and to hear from him about what new -- what support, what authority he might need to carry out a thorough and complete inspection process. We've met -- the Secretary has met with him twice before -- January and June of this year -- and always our interest has been in seeing that we were supporting Dr. Blix in any appropriate way so that he would be prepared to do thorough inspections when the time came. Now, as it looks like the possibility has arisen, given Iraq's final willingness to say something positive about inspections under the pressure of the United Nations and the United States and others, we think it's a moment to review with Dr. Blix to make sure we are prepared, he is prepared, and we're prepared to support him. QUESTION: I think you -- it's your choice whether to answer or not, but I think you described Blix as recognizing that he operates for the Security Council, you know, that he takes his instructions or whatever your wording was. The Secretary General, Kofi Annan, though, or Annan, seems to be making statements about it's time for the inspectors to get on their way. And I wondered if this is a little bit outside the general view that the members of the Council decide such matters. MR. BOUCHER: The Secretary General has views on everything going on at the UN, and I don't think it's surprising that he would have something to say on the subject. We have been in close touch with him. The Secretary has talked to him twice already today, I think. So we are in frequent contact with the Secretary General. The fact is that Dr. Blix -- and I should mention Dr. El Baradei of the International Atomic Energy Agency, because really the inspectors come from both groups and they're both responsible for these inspections. But I think they both recognized, if you look at what they said in New York yesterday, that they work under the direction of the Security Council, and I think they both said should a new resolution be adopted they'll work within those new provisions. And that's, again, what we think needs to be done next is we think the Security Council needs to take charge of this issue, take responsibility for this issue, and give the instructions and the authority that these inspectors need so they can go out and do a thorough and credible job. QUESTION: And so to follow up on that, has the Secretary had any contacts today with representatives of the other Perm 5, and are you making any progress in getting some new instructions for Mr. Blix, which seems to -- MR. BOUCHER: We've tried not to handicap this every day, but we are certainly -- how should I say? -- optimistic, as the Secretary said he was yesterday. I think he has talked to Foreign Secretary Straw already today. He may have other conversations as the day proceeds. Yesterday, he talked to a number of his counterparts among the Perm 5. And so we will be continuing to pursue these issues both through the Secretary's conversations and conversations in capitals, but also through our mission in New York, who are in touch as well on these issues. ............................... QUESTION: Richard, the Russians seem to have gone back to their position that no new resolution is necessary, so what is it that makes the Secretary optimistic that he is making progress on this? And there are persistent reports that the United States might be flexible on the two-resolution approach. Can you address that? What is your position on that today? MR. BOUCHER: The United States believes that one resolution is the way to go. We want a strong resolution, a tough resolution that contains what we have said before, clear recognition that Iraq is in violation, clear identification of the steps that Iraq needs to take and that the international community needs to take in terms of inspections and things like that to rectify this, and a clear indication that there will be consequences if Iraq doesn't comply. We are in discussion with other governments about how to achieve those things. We know that others take a view that those can be done in two resolutions rather than one. We'll continue our close consultations with other governments. We're working on how to achieve these goals. But at this point we remain firmly committed to seeking one resolution. QUESTION: And you didn't address the Russian aspect of that, their statements today that -- MR. BOUCHER: Well, you asked me three questions. I picked one. QUESTION: Well, okay. MR. BOUCHER: Do you want to ask a follow-up? QUESTION: Yes. The Russian part of that. They're saying today that they don't actually really see any need for a new resolution anyway before the inspectors go back. MR. BOUCHER: I think it's clear from the briefings we got yesterday from the inspectors that they can't do the kind of job that the international community expects of them, they can't do the kind of thorough, credible job that won't leave any loopholes, that won't leave any means for Iraq to obfuscate or delay without new instructions from the Security Council, and we think the Council should give those kinds of instructions. ...................................................... QUESTION: This morning there were, for the first time, an Iraqi opposition -- there were members of Iraqi women that came forward, delivered a press conference in the National Press Club. And they are hot under the collars thanking the White House for all its help, but they are also basically stating that part of Europe is dragging its feet and many members of their families, their nephews, brothers, cousins and such were murdered. And one of the women was actually from the town where, I believe, over 8,500 people were slaughtered by these chemical attacks over a decade ago. And for the first time, we're seeing some of this opposition. Where do you fall? Do you think that should be more publicized and spearheaded to topple the -- MR. BOUCHER: Well, since you gave me the chance -- QUESTION: All right -- MR. BOUCHER: -- I will tell you the news. Let me say first in relation to your question that certainly Iraqi women have a very important role to play in this whole process of planning on the future of Iraq in looking at how people inside Iraq and outside of Iraq can govern themselves after the current circumstances are changed. The Department -- US Government has been working with Iraqi academics, opposition figures, independent Iraqis outside the country, since about April on planning for the Future of Iraq project. We're convening one of the five -- one of the six working groups is beginning today, and through the weekend, more than a dozen Iraqi engineers, scientists and technical experts convened in Washington for the first meeting of the Future of Iraq project's working group on water, agriculture and the environment. It's the fifth such working group that we've held since the April 2002 planning committee meeting. Discussions focused on challenged faced by a post-Saddam Hussein government of Iraq and a number of areas that are of vital importance to the lives, health and prosperity of all Iraqis. There is a prominent Iraqi-American engineer report on his study about whether southern marshes can be revitalized, for example, so there's some pretty big issues there. And there will be US experts from the Departments of State, Interior, Geological Survey, Environmental Protection Agency, Bureau of Reclamation, who participate. So we're looking forward to those discussions. That's the fifth in the first series of six initial working groups and we're now looking at how to do another six to nine sessions in a second phase that will start shortly. Elise. QUESTION: This Future of Iraq and these working groups, do they include a financial component on how it would be funded and talks about whether that would be something that the US would fund or the donor community? MR. BOUCHER: I'm sure as they face each of these challenges they have to talk about the financing challenges, and obviously in some areas it's more likely that Iraq would be able to finance reconstruction or development itself, given its oil revenue; in some areas, there might be needs. But they've looked -- the working groups that have met so far include a working group on public finance and accounting and various other things like that. The democratic principles working group also sort of covers the whole scope of government questions, and they'll meet for a second time next week. So some of these activities are ongoing. (end excerpt) (Distributed by the Office of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)
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