23 October 2002
U.S. Presents Iraq Disarmament Draft Resolution to Security Council
(Proposal would tighten rules for inspections) (790) By Judy Aita Washington File United Nations Correspondent United Nations -- The United States and the United Kingdom presented their draft resolution on Iraq's disarmament to the full membership of the Security Council October 23 after several days of informal talks among the five permanent members. After a three-hour private meeting with all 15 council members, U.S. Ambassador John Negroponte said that "the moment has come to give an added sense of urgency" to getting a credible inspection and disarmament program back into Iraq. "We've said from the beginning, from the time of the president's speech to the General Assembly in September and in many statements that have been made by both the president and Secretary [of State Colin] Powell that we think we need a strong resolution, we need credible inspections, and it has got to be clear that there will be consequences for Iraq if it does not comply with the resolution," Negroponte said. "Those are the principles that still inspire and guide the position of the United States and we believe those views are widely held within the council," he said. Negroponte said that from the comments he received during the meeting "there is a strong feeling that a strong message ought to be sent to Iraq, that a credible inspection regime needs to be established." "I think that there is a general acceptance amongst most, if not all, of the council members that it would be very important and useful to have another resolution," he said. The ambassador called the U.S. draft "complete" and said that if it is adopted "it is very much in the interest ... of Iraq to accept it and to cooperate with an effective inspection regime so as to lead to its complete and effective disarmament." Negroponte said that the council's next discussion of the resolution is set for the morning of October 25 and will "go for the entire day if necessary." The draft resolution says that Iraq must provide the U.N. Monitoring, Verification and Inspection Commission (UNMOVIC) and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) with immediate, unimpeded, unconditional and unrestricted access to any and all buildings and sites in Iraq including presidential sites, and establishes revised and additional conditions for the inspections. It says, among other things, that UNMOVIC and IAEA have the right to freeze sites and declare exclusion zones; must have free and unrestricted use of and landing rights for their aircraft; have the right to seize and export any equipment, materials, or documents taken during inspections; have security provided by U.N. guards; and may conduct interviews inside or outside of Iraq without the presence of Iraqi observers. The draft directs the executive chairman of UNMOVIC and the director general of IAEA to report immediately any interference by Iraq with inspections activities or failure by Iraq to comply with its obligations. Upon receipt of such a report, the council would "convene immediately ... in order to consider the situation and the need for full compliance," it says. British Ambassador Jeremy Greenstock, co-sponsor of the draft resolution, said that the resolution "is very clearly intended to be a last-chance offer to Iraq: It is a genuine offer: take the inspection process seriously. It is going to be a tough one, but it is going to be a fair one, under U.N. rules, and if you get it wrong that is a disaster for you." Greenstock said that a key point of the draft is the operative paragraph which requires a second stage discussion by the council before any enforcement action would be taken. "The warnings to Iraq that are contained in the rest of the text are linked with that," he said. The U.K. ambassador cautioned journalists "to be patient" about the negotiation process on the resolution. He anticipated that there will be talks on the draft in the 15 capitals as well as at the United Nations. "This has become a negotiation of 15 and has got some way to go in terms of seeking the unity of the council," Greenstock said. "The proposition put by the U.S. and the U.K. are very firm, very fair, very clear." The council wants to talk to UNMOVIC Executive Chairman Hans Blix, who does not return to New York until October 28, he added. The five permanent members of the council with veto power are China, France, Russia, United Kingdom, and the United States. The ten non-permanent members are Bulgaria, Colombia, Cameroon, Guinea, Ireland, Mauritius, Mexico, Norway, Singapore, and Syria. (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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