DATE=  11/10/97

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

NUMBER=2-222439

TITLE=U-S/IRAQ (L) 

  BYLINE=DAVID GOLLUST

DATELINE=WHITE HOUSE

CONTENT=

VOICED AT: 



INTRO:  PRESIDENT CLINTON HAS WELCOMED MONDAY'S UNIMPEDED 

OVERFLIGHT OF IRAQ BY AN AMERICAN U-TWO SPY PLANE, AND SAYS THE 

WORLD COMMUNITY SHOULD NOW DEMAND THE FULL-SCALE RESUMPTION OF 

U-N INSPECTION OPERATIONS.  V-O-A'S DAVID GOLLUST HAS DETAILS 

FROM THE WHITE HOUSE.



TEXT:  ALTHOUGH SADDAM HUSSEIN HAD REPEATEDLY THREATENED TO SHOOT

DOWN THE SURVEILLANCE PLANE, THE FLIGHT OVER EASTERN IRAQ WENT 

AHEAD WITH  NO  INDICATION OF HOSTILE INTENT BY IRAQ FORCES. 



IN A TALK WITH REPORTERS HERE, PRESIDENT CLINTON EXPRESSED 

SATISFACTION OVER THE RESUMPTION OF THE AERIAL WEAPONS SEARCH.  

BUT HE SAID THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY MUST STILL DEAL WITH THE 

FUNDAMENTAL ISSUE OF IRAQI INTERFERENCE WITH THE GROUND SEARCHES:



                        ///CLINTON ACT///



         THE UNITED NATIONS U-2 PLANE WAS  NOT  FIRED UPON IN ITS

         FLIGHT.  AND THAT'S A GOOD THING.  BUT IT DOES  NOT  

         CHANGE THE LARGER ISSUE ISSUE, WHICH IS THAT THE U-N 

         INSPECTIONS HAVE BEEN STOPPED BY SADDAM HUSSEIN.  SO THE

         NEXT STEP IS TO GET A VERY STRONG RESOLUTION FROM THE 

         UNITED NATIONS MANIFESTING THE DETERMINATION OF THE 

         INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY TO RESUME THOSE INSPECTIONS.



                          ///END ACT///



DEFENSE SECRETARY WILLIAM COHEN TOLD REPORTERS AT THE PENTAGON 

THAT EXPLICIT U-S WARNINGS HAD BEEN CONVEYED TO THE IRAQ LEADER 

ABOUT THE CONSEQUENCES OF TRYING TO IMPEDE THE U-2 FLIGHT, WHICH 

AS HE PUT IT "WOULD  NOT  BE INSIGNIFICANT."



THE DEFENSE CHIEF SAID IT IS EVIDENT THAT IRAQ HAS TRIED TO 

CONTINUE CHEMICAL, BIOLOGICAL AND POSSIBLY NUCLEAR WEAPONS 

PROJECTS IN DEFIANCE OF THE INSPECTIONS REGIME, AND THAT SADDAM 

HUSSEIN HAS BEEN PLAYING A "HIDE-AND-SEEK GAME" WITH THE U-N 

INSPECTORS.



MR. COHEN SAID THE SURREPTITIOUS MOVEMENT OF IRAQ WEAPONS 

HARDWARE THAT HAS OCCURRED DURING WEEK-LONG PAUSE IN INSPECTIONS 

WILL SIMPLY FORCE THE U-N TEAM TO BEGIN ITS WORK FROM SCRATCH AND

FURTHER DELAY WHAT SADDAM HUSSEIN WANTS -- THE LIFTING OF U-N 

SANCTIONS:



                      ///COHEN ACTUALITY///



         ULTIMATELY, WE'D HAVE TO GO BACK TO THE BEGINNING, AND 

         THE U-N INSPECTORS WOULD HAVE TO START OVER AGAIN.  SO 

         WE'D SIMPLY HAVE TO RE-DRAW THE BASELINE WHERE THEY LEFT

         OFF.  SO HE DOESN'T DO ANYTHING BUT EXTEND THE TIME 

         DURING WHICH HE'S GOING TO HAVE TO COMPLY.  IT'S GOING 

         TO BE AN INDEFINITE EXTENSION EACH TIME HE DELAYS THE 

         FULL IMPLEMENTATION OF THE SANCTIONS.



                          ///END ACT///



ADMINISTRATION OFFICIALS INSIST THERE IS BROAD SUPPORT AMONG 

SECURITY COUNCIL MEMBERS FOR TOUGH ACTION AGAINST IRAQ INCLUDING 

BOTH FRANCE AND RUSSIA DESPITE REPORTS THEY HAVE BEEN WAVERING. 

THE U-S AMBASSADOR TO THE U-N BILL RICHARDSON DISMISSED THE 11TH 

HOUR (LAST MINUTE) APPEAL TO THE SECURITY COUNCIL BY IRAQI 

DEOPUTY PRIME MINISTER TARIQ AZIZ AS AN EXERCISE IN DELAY, 

DECEPTION AND DENIAL. (SIGNED)



NEB/DAG/MMK



10-Nov-97 1:14 PM EST (1814 UTC)

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Source: Voice of America

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