DATE=1/16/98

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

NUMBER=2-225386

TITLE=BRITAIN / IRAQ (L)

BYLINE= ANDRE DE NESNERA

DATELINE=LONDON

CONTENT=

VOICED AT: 



INTRO:  BRITAIN IS SENDING AN AIRCRAFT CARRIER TO THE PERSIAN 

GULF AS THE STALEMATE BETWEEN IRAQ AND THE UNITED NATIONS OVER 

WEAPONS INSPECTORS CONTINUES.  V-O-A'S ANDRE DE NESNERA REPORTS 

FROM LONDON.



TEXT:  BRITAIN IS DISPATCHING THE AIRCRAFT CARRIER "INVINCIBLE" 

ALONG WITH AN AUXILIARY SHIP TO THE GULF IN RESPONSE TO IRAQ'S 

OBSTRUCTION OF UNITED NATIONS WEAPONS INSPECTORS. "INVINCIBLE" 

HAS BEEN IN THE MEDITERRANEAN SINCE MID-NOVEMBER AND BRITISH 

OFFICIALS SAY THE VESSEL WILL JOIN AMERICAN SHIPS ALREADY IN THE 

GULF. 



BRITISH DEFENSE SECRETARY GEORGE ROBERTSON SAYS IRAQ'S CONTINUED 

DEFIANCE OF THE UNITED NATIONS IS OF "SERIOUS CONCERN." HE TOLD 

BRITISH RADIO THAT SENDING WARSHIPS TO THE GULF IS A CLEAR SIGNAL

TO IRAQI LEADER SADDAM HUSSEIN THAT HE MUST ABIDE BY U-N 

RESOLUTIONS CONCERNING WEAPONS INSPECTIONS. 



                     // ROBERTSON ACT //   



         IT IS A BACKUP TO THE DIPLOMACY THAT WE HOPE WILL 

         SUCCEED -- AND WHICH SUCCEEDED ON THE LAST OCCASION. BUT

         AN ATTEMPT BY HIM (SADDAM) TO PICK AND CHOOSE WHO WILL 

         INSPECT THESE SITES, AN ATTEMPT BY HIM TO CONTINUE TO 

         HIDE HIS CAPABILITY IN BIOLOGICAL AND CHEMICAL WEAPONS 

         IS SIMPLY  NOT  ACCEPTABLE TO THE WORLD COMMUNITY. AND 

         HE POSES A HUGE AND DANGEROUS THREAT BOTH TO HIS 

         NEIGHBORS AND INDEED TO THE WIDER REGION. 



                         // END ACT //  



MR. ROBERTSON DESCRIBED THE SENDING OF THE "INVINCIBLE" AS --  "A

SENSIBLE AND NECESSARY PRECAUTION."



TIM TREVAN IS A MIDDLE EAST EXPERT WITH LONDON'S INTERNATIONAL 

INSTITUTE FOR STRATEGIC STUDIES. A FORMER WEAPONS INSPECTOR, MR. 

TREVAN SAYS IRAQ RESPONDS ONLY TO MILITARY THREATS.



                        // TREVAN ACT // 



         THE MAIN THING THAT IRAQ SEEMS TO UNDERSTAND IS FORCE. 

         AFTER ALL, THAT IS HOW THEY CONDUCT THEIR DIPLOMACY: 

         THEY THREATEN COUNTRIES WHENEVER THEY WANT TO ACHIEVE 

         SOMETHING AND IF THE THREATS DO  NOT  WORK, THEY INVADE 

         THEM. THAT IS WHAT IRAQ UNDERSTANDS AND THE HISTORY OF 

         "UNSCOM" (THE U-N INSPECTIONS TEAM) WITH IRAQ HAS BEEN 

         THAT WHENEVER IRAQ HAS UNDERSTOOD THERE TO BE A CREDIBLE

         MILITARY THREAT, THEN IT JUST BACKED DOWN -- AND IT HAS 

         ACTUALLY DONE WHAT IS NECESSARY TO AVOID A MILITARY 

         CRISIS.



                         // END ACT //  



TIM TREVAN SAYS HE HOPES THE HEAD OF THE U-N INSPECTIONS TEAM -- 

RICHARD BUTLER -- WILL DELIVER A VERY STRONG MESSAGE TO THE 

IRAQIS WHEN HE VISITS BAGDHAD EARLY NEXT WEEK.  MR. TREVAN SAYS 

IF THAT MESSAGE IS CLEARLY UNDERSTOOD BY THE IRAQIS, THEN THERE 

IS A CHANCE DIPLOMACY MIGHT WORK. (SIGNED)



NEB/ADEN/PCF











16-Jan-98 10:13 AM EST (1513 UTC)

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Source: Voice of America

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