DATE=12/2/97

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

NUMBER=2-223542

TITLE=NATO DEFENSE MINISTERS (L-ONLY)

BYLINE=JOHN FRASER

DATELINE=BRUSSELS

CONTENT=

VOICED AT: 



INTRO:  AT TALKS IN BRUSSELS, NATO DEFENSE MINISTERS RECEIVED A 

GRIM WARNING OF THE THREAT TO WORLD SECURITY WHICH IS POSED BY 

IRAQ.  DETAILS OF IRAQ'S POWERFUL ARSENAL OF WEAPONS WERE GIVEN 

(TUESDAY) BY THE UNITED STATES.  JOHN FRASER REPORTS FROM 

BRUSSELS.



TEXT:  THE ALLIANCE DEFENSE MINISTERS RECEIVED A DETAILED 

BRIEFING FROM DEFENSE SECRETARY WILLIAM COHEN ON IRAQ'S CAPACITY 

TO MOUNT GAS AND GERM ATTACKS.  THE BRIEFING FOLLOWS THE RECENT 

STANDOFF BETWEEN IRAQI LEADER SADDAM HUSSEIN AND THE UNITED 

NATIONS OVER THE ADMISSION OF AMERICAN INSPECTORS, AS PART OF A 

U-N MONITORING MISSION.



OFFICIALS SAY THAT AT THE TIME, NOT EVERY NATO NATION WAS AS 

SUPPORTIVE OF THE UNITED STATES AS THEY MIGHT HAVE BEEN, AND THE 

BRIEFING WAS DESIGNED TO PROVE TO ALL THE ALLIES THAT THE RISK 

FROM IRAQ IS REAL -- AND WIDESPREAD.



THE U-S UNDERSECRETARY OF DEFENSE OF INTERNATIONAL SECURITY 

AFFAIRS, WALTER SLOCOMBE, SAID SECRETARY COHEN HAD IMPRESSED ON 

AMERICA'S NATO PARTNERS WHY IT IS SO IMPORTANT TO KEEP UP 

PRESSURE ON IRAQ TO PERMIT FULL, UNHINDERED INSPECTIONS.



THE SOBERING AMERICAN PRESENTATION WAS DESIGNED TO CONVINCE ALL 

PRESENT THAT IRAQ DOES  NOT  PRESENT JUST A REGIONAL THREAT, BUT 

A GLOBAL ONE.   THE AMERICANS SAY IRAQ HAS THREE-POINT-NINE TONS 

OF A SUPER-TOXIN CALLED "V-X," LARGE STOCKS OF DEADLY ANTHRAX, 

AND IS WORKING ON A MISSILE WITH A RANGE OF THREE-THOUASAND 

MILES, WHICH COULD PENETRATE DEEP INTO THE TERRITORY OF MANY OF 

NATO'S EUROPEAN MEMBERS.



SECRETARY COHEN STRESSED THAT U-2 AIR SURVEILLANCE FLIGHTS OVER 

IRAQ MUST CONTINUE UNTIL ALL OF SADDAM HUSSEIN'S WEAPONS OF MASS 

DESTRUCTION HAVE BEEN DISCOVERED.  NATO MINISTERS WERE SHOWN 

PICTURES WHICH WERE SAID TO BE OF IRAQ'S REPUBLICAN GUARD IN A 

CHEMICAL WEAPONS FACILITY.



IN ANOTHER DEVELOPMENT, BRITAIN AND SPAIN HAVE SOLVED A MAJOR 

DISPUTE OVER GIBRALTAR, CLEARING THE WAY FOR SPAIN'S ENTRY INTO 

NATO'S INTEGRATED MILITARY COMMAND.  THIS WILL ALLOW REFORM AND 

STREAMLINING OF THE COMMAND STRUCTURE, WITH A NEW REGIONAL 

HEADQUARTERS IN MADRID.



THE ISSUE OF GIBRALTAR HAS LED TO FREQUENT PROBLEMS BETWEEN 

BRITAIN AND SPAIN, WHICH BOTH CLAIM SOVEREIGNTY OVER THE TINY, 

BUT STRATEGICALLY IMPORTANT, TERRITORY.



//REST OPT// THE NATO MINISTERS ALSO DISCUSSED WHAT TO DO ABOUT 

THE "S-FOR" NATO-LED STABILIZATION FORCE IN BOSNIA, THE MANDATE 

FOR WHICH IS DUE TO EXPIRE AT THE END OF JUNE.  THERE WAS SUPPORT

FOR A STUDY TO BE DRAWN UP INTO THE OPTIONS, WHICH ARE EXPECTED 

TO FOCUS ON RETAINING A PRESENCE IN BOSNIA, BUT WITH A 

SLIMMED-DOWN FORCE.



DISCUSSIONS WERE ALSO HELD ON PLANS TO EXPAND THE NATO ALLIANCE, 

TO BRING IN POLAND, HUNGARY AND THE CZECH REPUBLIC.  THIS WILL 

COST OVER THREE BILLION DOLLARS IN THE NEXT 10 YEARS, WITH THE 

UNITED STATES ALONE FACING AN ADDITIONAL ANNUAL BILL OF 

37-MILLION DOLLARS. (SIGNED)



NEB/JF/PCF







02-Dec-97 1:45 PM EST (1845 UTC)

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Source: Voice of America

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