ACCESSION NUMBER:00000

FILE ID:96031902.NNE

DATE:03/19/96

TITLE:19-03-96  TEXT: SECURITY COUNCIL STATEMENT ON IRAQ



TEXT:

(Council demands unimpeded access for weapons inspectors) (640)



United Nations -- The Security Council March 19 declared that Iraq's

delays in allowing U.N. weapons inspectors into suspected weapons

sites "constitute clear violations" of the Gulf War cease-fire

agreement.



At a formal meeting, Council President Legwaila Legwaila of Botswana

read a statement on behalf of the 15 members saying that "the council

demands that the Government of Iraq allow the Special Commission

inspection teams immediate, unconditional and unrestricted access to

all sites designated by the commission for inspection in accordance

with the relevant resolutions of the council."



On March 18 the chairman of the Special Commission overseeing the

destruction of Iraqi weapons (UNSCOM) reported to the council that

Baghdad had been systematically denying U.N. weapons inspectors access

to Iraqi facilities as they tried to be sure that Iraq has destroyed

all the chemical, biological, nuclear, and ballistic weapons banned by

the cease-fire agreement (Security Council resolution 687).



UNSCOM Chairman Rolf Ekeus said that Iraq denied access to sites to

the U.N. weapons inspectors five times between March 8 and March 17.

This latest series of inspections are the result of UNSCOM's analysis

of the information it received in August and September 1995, both from

a cache of documents from Iraq officials and from Iraqi defector

General Hussein Kamal, who was killed after returning to Iraq earlier

this year.



The council also called the Iraqi delays "unacceptable," and

reiterated its full support for UNSCOM's inspections.



Following is the text of the council statement:



(Begin text)



The Security Council has noted with growing concern that the incident

described in the letter of 9 March 1996 from the Executive Chairman of

the Special Commission to the president of the Security council

(S/1996/182) and the further incident on 11 March 1996 in which an

inspection team was again not allowed immediate and unconditional

access to a site designated by the Commission under its resolution 687

(1991) were followed by further such incidents on 14 and 15 March

1996. In all of these cases access was subsequently granted only after

unacceptable delays.



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 Security Council notes the letter of 17 March 1996 to its

president from the Deputy Prime Minister of Iraq (S/1996/204). It

recalls that, under paragraph 9 (b) (i) of section C of Security

Council resolution 687 (1991), Iraq is required to permit "immediate

on-site inspection of Iraq's biological, chemical and missile

capabilities, based on Iraq's declarations and the designation of any

additional locations by the Special Commission itself." By its

resolution 707 (1991), the council also expressly demanded that Iraq

allow the Special Commission, the International Atomic Energy Agency

and their inspection teams immediate, unconditional and unrestricted

access to any and all areas, facilities, equipment, records and means

of transportation which they wish to inspect." The obligation was

furthermore confirmed in the Commission's plan for ongoing monitoring

and verification which was approved by the Security Council in

resolution 715 (1991); in this context the Council recalls the notes

from the Secretary-General of 21 July 1993 (S/26127) and 1 December

1993 (S/26825).



The Security Council considers that Iraq's delays in permitting the

inspection team recently in Iraq access to the sites concerned

constitute clear violations by Iraq of the provisions of resolutions

687 (1991), 707 (1991) and 715 (1991). The Council demands that the

Government of Iraq allow the Special Commission inspection teams

immediate, unconditional and unrestricted access to all sites

designated by the Commission for inspection in accordance with the

relevant resolutions of the Council.



(End text)

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