30 October 2002
Talks Continue at U.N. on Iraq Resolution
(Security Council vote seen in early November) (530) By Judy Aita Washington File United Nations Correspondent United Nations -- The Security Council October 30 continued talks on a U.S./U.K. draft resolution for the disarmament of Iraq in hopes of reaching widespread agreement on a strong mandate to send weapons inspectors back into the country. Diplomats had been working on adjustments to the weapons inspectors mandate after meeting earlier in the week with Hans Blix, executive chairman of the U.N. Monitoring, Verification, and Inspection Commission (UNMOVIC), and Mohamed ElBaradei, director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), which handles the inspections for nuclear weapons. But the focal point of the three-hour discussion October 30 was on the preambular paragraphs of the resolution and the concern of some council members, especially France, Russia, and Mexico, that references to previous council resolutions on Iraq could be a "hidden trigger" for a military response to Iraq's non-compliance without a Security Council meeting. U.K. Ambassador Jeremy Greenstock said that the United States and United Kingdom "will consider very carefully what we have heard from our council colleagues and see what our next step is ... [and] think about how to get closer to consensus." Greenstock said that there is no date set for another meeting on the text, let alone a vote. "There is going to be no precipitous rush to conclusion," the ambassador said. "We have got lots to talk about; lots to consider." Diplomats said they did not expect a final text to be ready for a vote until early November. Diplomats also said that most importantly, what is uniting the council is the general respect and confidence in both Blix and ElBaradei and their ability to carry out the inspections. The two chief inspectors were in Washington October 30 meeting with President Bush and other senior U.S. officials as part of their round of visits to the capitals of the five permanent members of the Security Council: China, France, Russia, United Kingdom, and the United States. The two top U.N. weapons inspectors told the Security Council October 28 that a clear mandate, council unity, and understanding by Baghdad that there will be consequences for failing to cooperate are essential ingredients for the successful disarmament of Iraq. Blix said that he and ElBaradei stressed clarity, council unity, and willingness of the council to remain steadfast over the long term. "Just as important as ... clarity in mandate, is the readiness of the council to uphold the resolution and the prerogatives of the inspectors and there be no fatigue ... because our authority will go down" if the council weakens, he said. "We need unified council support behind us. We need explicit authority, good practical arrangements, and information from all member states as how to go and where to go to ensure that Iraq is completely disarmed," ElBaradei said. Council President Ambassador Martin Belinga-Eboutou of Cameroon said after the private meeting October 30 that the council is working hard to send a "strong and unanimous" message to Baghdad. The council "wishes to give a mandate which is clear and precise to the inspectors," he said. "The council remains determined to achieve the disarmament of Iraq. And for that, the council wishes the prompt return of the inspectors" after a nearly four-year absence, Belinga-Eboutou said. (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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