DATE=  11/20/97

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

NUMBER=2-222952

TITLE=ALBRIGHT / GENEVA UPDATE (L)

BYLINE=RON PEMSTEIN

DATELINE=GENEVA

CONTENT=

VOICED AT: 



INTRO: FOREIGN MINISTERS FROM THE UNITED STATES, BRITAIN, FRANCE 

AND RUSSIA AND A REPRESENTATIVE FROM CHINA HAVE AGREED THAT IRAQ 

SHOULD ALLOW THE RETURN OF UNITED NATIONS WEAPONS INSPECTORS. RON

PEMSTEIN REPORTS FROM GENEVA, SECRETARY OF STATE MADELEINE 

ALBRIGHT ISCAUTIOUS.



TEXT:  IN A POST-MIDNIGHT MEETING AT THE EUROPEAN HEADQUARTERS OF

THE UNITED NATIONS, RUSSIAN FOREIGN MINISTER YEVGENY PRIMAKOV 

TOLD HIS FELLOW MINISTERS THAT IRAQ WILL AGREE TO ALLOW THE 

UNITED NATIONS INSPECTORS TO RETURN UNCONDITIONALLY. SECRETARY OF

STATE ALBRIGHT RETAINS HER SKEPTICISM.



                       ///ALBRIGHT ACT///



         WE LISTENED TO FOREIGN MINISTER PRIMAKOV REPORT ON HIS 

         CONVERSATIONS WITH IRAQIS AND AS A RESULT OF THOSE, 

         EXPRESSED THE HOPE THAT THEY WOULD IN FACT ANNOUNCE A 

         REVERSAL OF THE DECISION TOMORROW MORNING, WE HAVE NOT  

         YET SEEN WHETHER THE ANNOUNCEMENT IS GOING TO HAPPEN OR 

         IF THEY WILL IN FACT REVERSE, SO WE ARE NOW WATCHING TO 

         SEE THE REVERSAL AND THEN THE PROVEN FACT THAT THE 

         INSPECTORS WHO HAVE BEEN KEPT OUT OF THE COUNTRY FOR 

         ALMOST THREE WEEKS, OR HAVE BEEN KEPT FROM THEIR WORK 

         FOR ALMOST THREE WEEKS, WILL BE ABLE TO RESUME THEIR 

         WORK.



                          ///END ACT///



THE SECRETARY OF STATE TELLS REPORTERS THERE WAS NO DISCUSSION OF

SANCTIONS RELIEF FOR IRAQ IN THE TWO HOUR MEETING. ALL MINISTERS 

EXPRESS THE HOPE THAT IRAQ'S DECISION TO ALLOW THE INSPECTORS TO 

RETURN WILL BE UNCONDITIONAL.



A SENIOR AMERICAN OFFICIAL SAYS IN THE PAST, THE IRAQIS HAVE 

FREQUENTLY REVERSED COURSE WHEN FACED WITH A UNIFIED U-N SECURITY

COUNCIL. HOWEVER, THE UNITED NATIONS SPECIAL COMMISSION HAS LOST 

THREE WEEKS OF INSPECTIONS IN IRAQ. THE COMMISSION WILL MEET 

FRIDAY IN NEW YORK TO DISCUSS HOW TO MAKE ITS WORK MORE 

EFFECTIVE.



SECRETARY OF STATE ALBRIGHT RAISES THE POSSIBILITY SOME 

ADJUSTMENTS CAN BE MADE IN THE SIZE OF THE INSPECTION TEAM.



                       ///ALBRIGHT ACT///



         I THINK THAT THERE WILL BE DISCUSSIONS ABOUT WHETHER 

         MORE INSPECTORS  SHOULD BE ADDED AND HOW IT SHOULD WORK 

         BUT AS FAR AS WE ARE CONCERNED  WE BELIEVE THAT UNSCOM 

         IS WORKING EFFECTIVELY, THAT IT DOES ITS JOB AND IT 

         NEEDS TO GET BACK ON THE GROUND WORKING.



                          ///END ACT///



ONE OF THOSE POSSIBILITIES WILL BE INCREASING THE SIZE OF THE 

TEAMS BUT POSSIBLY REDUCING THE PERCENTAGE OF THE AMERICANS ON 

THEM. IRAQ ORIGINALLY EXPELLED THE AMERICANS FROM THE INSPECTION 

TEAMS, CHARGING THE UNITED STATES WITH BIAS AGAINST BAGHDAD. THE 

COMMISSION CHAIRMAN, RICHARD BUTLER HAS SAID IRAQ CANNOT DICTATE 

THE COMPOSITION OF THE WEAPONS INSPECTORS.    (SIGNED)



NEB/RP/KL



20-Nov-97 1:26 AM EST (0626 UTC)

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Source: Voice of America

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