DATE=  11/19/97

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

NUMBER=2-222934

TITLE=IRAQ DIPLOMACY -- SITUATIONER (L ONLY)

BYLINE=ELAINE JOHANSON

DATELINE=UNITED NATIONS

CONTENT=

VOICED AT: 



INTRO:  THE U-N OFFICIAL IN CHARGE OF WEAPONS INSPECTIONS IN IRAQ

-- RICHARD BUTLER -- BRIEFED THE SECURITY COUNCIL TODAY 

(WEDNESDAY) AND WARNED OF THE SERIOUS CONSEQUENCES OF NOT GETTING

THE INSPECTIONS BACK ON TRACK SOON.   DIPLOMATS IN NEW YORK, FOR 

THE MOST PART, ARE FOCUSED ON A HIGH-LEVEL MEETING OF PERMANENT 

COUNCIL MEMBERS IN GENEVA EARLY THURSDAY.  V-O-A CORRESPONDENT 

ELAINE JOHANSON REPORTS:   



TEXT:  DIPLOMACY IN NEW YORK HAS ENTERED A PERIOD OF SUSPENDED 

ANIMATION.  THE GENEVA TALKS COULD MEAN A BREAKTHROUGH THAT WOULD

ALLOW U-N INSPECTORS -- WITH AMERICANS INCLUDED -- TO GET BACK TO

THEIR WORK IN IRAQ.



CHIEF INSPECTOR RICHARD BUTLER -- JOINED BY OTHER WEAPONS EXPERTS

--  IS SAID TO HAVE WARNED THE SECURITY COUNCIL OF SERIOUS GAPS 

IN IRAQ'S REPORTING ON CHEMICAL AND BIOLOGICAL WEAPONS, EVEN ITS 

MISSILES.  THEY PRESENTED CHARTS AND PHOTOGRAPHS TO SIGNAL THE 

CRITICAL IMPORTANCE OF CONTINUING THE MONITORING.



U-S AMBASSADOR BILL RICHARDSON SAYS -- IF THE EXPERTS ARE SO 

WORRIED --THERE IS NO REASON TO ANTICIPATE THE SECURITY COUNCIL 

WILL BACK DOWN FROM ITS DEMAND FOR AN IMMEDIATE RESUMPTION OF THE

INSPECTIONS ON U-N TERMS:



                       //RICHARDSON ACT//



         I DON'T KNOW ABOUT ANY COMPROMISES.  WE HAVE A VERY 

         STRONG POSITION THAT IS NOT NEGOTIABLE AND THAT IS, FULL

         RESTORATION OF UNSCOM (THE U-N INSPECTION COMMISSION) 

         AND ALL ITS ACTIVITIES UNCONDITIONALLY.  THE OBJECTIVE 

         IS VERY CLEAR:  TO PREVENT THE IRAQIS FROM THREATENING 

         THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY WITH WEAPONS OF MASS 

         DESTRUCTION.



                           //END ACT//



MEANWHILE, RUSSIAN AMBASSADOR SERGEI LAVROV SEEMS ESPECIALLY 

SENSITIVE ABOUT FREQUENT REFERENCES IN THE PRESS TO THE ECONOMIC 

MOTIVES BEHIND MOSCOW'S INTEREST IN TRYING TO DEFUSE THE CRISIS. 

THE RUSSIAN AMBASSADOR SAYS IT'S TRUE MOSCOW WANTS THE SEVEN-YEAR

OLD TRADE EMBARGO ON IRAQ ENDED.  BUT RUSSIA ALSO KNOWS, HE ADDS,

THAT BAGHDAD MUST COOPERATE UNCONDITIONALLY WITH THE SECURITY 

COUNCIL BEFORE THAT CAN HAPPEN: 



                         //LAVROV ACT//



         THERE COULD BE NOTHING WRONG WITH BEING MOTIVATED BY 

         ECONOMIC INTERESTS, PROVIDED THE MEANS TO ACHIEVE THOSE 

         INTERESTS ARE ENTIRELY LEGITIMATE.  AND IN THIS CASE, 

         YOU KNOW PERFECTLY WELL YOU CANNOT REMOVE SANCTIONS 

         UNLESS THE RESOLUTIONS OF THE SECURITY COUNCIL ABOUT 

         DISARMING IRAQ AND ABOUT ENSURING SAFETY IN THE PERSIAN 

         GULF REGION ARE IMPLEMENTED.



                           //END ACT//



DIPLOMATS IN NEW YORK ARE  NOT  COMMENTING ON THE POSSIBILITY OF 

A REPORTED CONCESSION TO IRAQ INVOLVING AN ADJUSTMENT OF THE 

NATIONALITY BALANCE ON THE INSPECTION TEAMS.  BAGHDAD WANTS MORE 

REPRESENTATION FROM OTHER KEY MEMBERS OF THE SECURITY COUNCIL -- 

LIKE RUSSIA AND FRANCE, PERHAPS EVEN CHINA -- TO OFFSET THE 

AMERICAN PRESENCE.



                          //REST OPT//



IF THE IDEA IS STILL ALIVE, U-N OFFICIALS BELIEVE IT WILL BE 

DECIDED IN GENEVA ALONG WITH OTHER PROPOSALS ON THE TABLE.  THE 

COUNCIL HAS SHOWN SOME INTEREST IN EXPANDING THE LIST OF 

HUMANITARIAN SUPPLIES, BAGHDAD COULD PURCHASE UNDER A SPECIAL 

OIL-FOR-FOOD DEAL THAT ALLOWS IRAQ TO SELL A LIMITED AMOUNT OF 

OIL UNDER U-N SUPERVISION. (SIGNED) 



NEB/EJ/RRM   



  



19-Nov-97 2:42 PM EST (1942 UTC)

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Source: Voice of America

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