ACCESSION NUMBER:00000

FILE ID:96061403.NNE

DATE:06/14/96

TITLE:14-06-96  TEXT: UN SECURITY COUNCIL PRESIDENTIAL STATEMENT ON IRAQ



TEXT:

(Council will not negotiate access for weapons inspectors) (830)



United Nations -- The Security Council June 14 rejected an Iraqi

attempt to negotiate conditions for unannounced visits of possible

weapons sites in Iraq by U.N. inspectors.



After a day during which the crisis between Iraq and the U.N.

worsened, the council issued a presidential statement at a formal

session "condemning" Iraq for denying the visits and "attempting to

impose conditions" on the inspections.



U.S. Ambassador Madeleine Albright said that the United States is

"very pleased" with the stand the council took.



"What we're very pleased with is that this presidential statement says

in plain English ... that this is a new dimension of noncompliance, a

serious step backwards, and a clear and flagrant violation of

resolution 687 which, as you know, establishes the cease-fire and the

preconditions essential to the restoration of peace and security in

the region," Albright said.



The stand-off between Iraq and the United Nations escalated June 14

when Baghdad barred U.N. weapons experts from two more sites and

trained anti-aircraft guns on U.N. helicopters trying to maintain

surveillance over sites declared off limits to U.N. weapons

inspectors. The U.N. team of 54 inspectors, meanwhile, were keeping

round-the-clock vigils outside three sites to try to keep Iraq from

removing documents and possible weapons-related material from the

sites.



Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister Tariq Aziz forwarded an offer to U.N.

headquarters suggesting that if the U.N. Commission overseeing the

destruction of Iraqi weapons (UNSCOM) wanted to enter sites Iraq

considers related to national security, Iraqi and UNSCOM officials

would enter the sites together.



The council rejected those conditions and asked UNSCOM Chairman Rolf

Ekeus to visit Baghdad to "secure immediate, unconditional and

unrestricted access to all sites which the Special Commission wishes

to inspect and to engage in a forward-looking dialogue on other issues

under the commission's mandate."



Ekeus is scheduled to leave for Baghdad June 17.



Albright told journalists that the presidential statement "makes very

clear that there can be no conditions placed on the access to the

sites."



"What we have done now is make sure that Chairman Ekeus has a very

strong message to deliver and an unequivocal statement that there can

be no restrictions on entrance into the sites," Albright said.



Asked what other measures the council and the U.S. were considering,

Albright said that "we're taking this a step at a time" and will wait

for Ekeus' report after his trip to Baghdad.



After the session, Ekeus said that he was "happy the council is taking

this very constructive line." He said that the 15 members of the

council "showed a very strong, united will."



The statement, Ekeus said "is not in any way negative -- it is a

constructive and firm line." Ekeus added, however, that he would not

be going to Iraq to negotiate.



On June 12 the council unanimously adopted a resolution demanding Iraq

grant unconditional access to the inspectors after Baghdad flatly

refused to allow a team of weapons experts looking for documents,

missiles or missile launchers and material relating to nuclear weapons

programs into two Republican Guard sites earlier in the week.



Following is the text of the council's statement:



(Begin text)



SECURITY COUNCIL PRESIDENTIAL STATEMENT



The Security Council condemns the failure of Iraq to comply with its

resolution 1060 (1996) of 12 June 1996 by refusing access to sites

designated by the Special Commission on 13 June 1996. Coming after the

denial of access on 11 and 12 June 1996, this new dimension of

non-compliance marks a serious step backwards in Iraq's cooperation

with the Special Commission. The Council considers that these events

constitute a clear and flagrant violation of resolutions 697 (1991),

707 (1991) and 719 (1991).



The Security Council reiterates its full support for the Special

Commission in the conduct of its inspections and the other tasks

entrusted to it by the Council. The Council rejects attempts by Iraq

to impose conditions on the conduct of inspections by the Special

Commission.



The Security Council demands once again that Iraq comply with the

relevant resolutions of the Council, and, in particular, allow the

inspection teams of the Special Commission immediate, unconditional

and unrestricted access to any and all areas, facilities, equipment,

records and means of transportation which they wish to inspect.



The Security Council requests the Chairman of the Special Commission

to visit Baghdad as soon as possible with a view to securing

immediate, unconditional and unrestricted access to all sites which

the Special Commission wishes to inspect, and to engage in a

forward-looking dialogue on other issues under the Commission's

mandate. It further requests the Chairman to report immediately

afterwards on the results of his visit and on the impact of Iraqi

policies on the mandate and work of the Special Commission.



(End text)

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