DATE=  11/3/97

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

NUMBER=2-222113

TITLE=COHEN / IRAQ (L)

BYLINE=NICK SIMEONE

DATELINE=WASHINGTON

CONTENT=

VOICED AT: 



INTRO:  U-S DEFENSE SECRETARY WILLIAM COHEN SAYS BAGHDAD WILL NOT

SUCCEED IN BREAKING THE RESOLVE OF THE WORLD COMMUNITY TO 

CONTINUE U-N WEAPONS INSPECTIONS IN IRAQ.  AND IN AN INTERVIEW 

WITH THE VOICE OF AMERICA, SECRETARY COHEN SAYS IRAQ SHOULD BE 

AWARE THAT U-N-BACKED MILITARY ACTION IS A POSSIBILITY IF BAGHDAD

DOES NOT ADHERE TO U-N RESOLUTIONS PUT IN PLACE AT THE END OF THE

GULF WAR.  MORE FROM CORRESPONDENT NICK SIMEONE:



TEXT:   IRAQ SHOWS NO SIGNS OF BACKING DOWN IN ITS LATEST 

STANDOFF WITH THE UNITED NATIONS.  ON MONDAY, BAGHDAD STEPPED UP 

THE WAR OF WORDS, THREATENING TO SHOOT DOWN AMERICAN U-2 SPY 

PLANES THAT GATHER INTELLIGENCE ABOUT SUSPECTED WEAPONS PROGRAMS.

A DAY EARLIER, IRAQI AUTHORITIES REFUSED TO ALLOW THREE AMERICAN 

WEAPONS INSPECTORS INTO THE COUNTRY, IN LINE WITH THE 

GOVERNMENT'S DEMAND THAT ALL THE AMERICANS ON THE INSPECTION TEAM

LEAVE BY THURSDAY.  



AT THE PENTAGON MONDAY, DEFENSE SECRETARY WILLIAM COHEN TOLD 

V-O-A IRAQI PRESIDENT SADDAM HUSSEIN IS RISKING ANOTHER MILITARY 

STRIKE IF HE DECIDES TO FLOUT SECURITY COUNCIL RESOLUTIONS.   



                         // COHEN ACT //



         FOR THE TIME BEING, WE WILL INSIST AND THE UNITED 

         NATIONS WILL INSIST THAT HE COMPLY FULLY WITH THE 

         INSPECTION REGIME OR FACE SANCTIONS.  AGAIN, THE 

         SANCTIONS COULD RANGE ALL THE WAY FROM FURTHER ECONOMIC 

         SANCTIONS TO MILITARY (ACTION) -- BUT THAT REMAINS TO BE

         DETERMINED. 



                         // END ACT // 



JUST WHY IRAQ CHOSE TO PICK A FIGHT WITH THE WORLD COMMUNITY AT 

THIS TIME IS NOT CLEAR.   BAGHDAD COULD BE TRYING TO PIT MEMBERS 

OF THE SECURITY COUNCIL AGAINST ONE ANOTHER, HOPING THAT 

COUNTRIES SUCH AS FRANCE AND RUSSIA -- AS WELL AS ARAB NATIONS --

WILL OPPOSE ANY NEW U-S LED MILITARY ACTION.  IF SO, DEFENSE 

SECRETARY COHEN SAYS IRAQ IS SORELY MISTAKEN



                     // SECOND COHEN ACT // 



         THIS NOT A SITUATION IN WHICH IRAQ IS POISED AGAINST THE

         UNITED STATES.  IT IS POISED AGAINST AND FLOUTING THE 

         UNITED NATIONS ITSELF.  SO I THINK WHAT YOU WILL SEE IS 

         A VERY STRONG EFFORT BY THE UNITED NATIONS TO PERSUADE 

         SADDAM HUSSEIN THAT HE HAS TO COMPLY WITH ALL THE 

         SANCTIONS AND THAT IF HE FAILS TO DO SO, THERE WILL BE 

         OTHER MEASURES THAT WILL BE TAKEN TO PERSUADE HIM TO DO 

         SO.



                          // END ACT //



// OPT //  LAST MONTH, THE PENTAGON STEPPED UP THE U-S MILITARY 

PRESENCE IN THE GULF IN RESPONSE TO TENSIONS ALONG THE IRAN-IRAQ 

BORDER.  IRAQI WARPLANES HAVE ALSO BEEN SPORADICALLY VIOLATING 

THE COUNTRY'S NORTHERN "NO-FLY ZONE," SET UP BY THE GULF WAR 

ALLIES TO PROTECT THE COUNTRY'S KURDISH MINORITY.  SECRETARY 

COHEN SAYS THE U-S MILITARY COULD QUICKLY TAKE ON FURTHER 

ASSIGNMENTS, IF IRAQ DOES NOT BACK DOWN. 



                      // THIRD COHEN ACT //



         WE'RE ALWAYS PREPARED TO DEAL WITH ANY CONTINGENCY.  WE 

         HAVE INCREASED OUR ABILITY TO ENFORCE THE NO-FLY ZONE 

         BOTH IN THE NORTHERN WATCH AREA AS WELL AS IN THE SOUTH.

         BEYOND THAT, WE'LL HAVE TO WAIT AND SEE WHAT TAKES 

         PLACE. 



                  // END ACT // // END OPT // 



IRAQ MAINTAINS IT HAS ELIMINATED ALL OF ITS WEAPONS OF MASS 

DESTRUCTION AND ACCUSES THE UNITED STATES OF DRAGGING OUT THE 

INSPECTION PROCESS TO KEEP THE COUNTRY UNDER SANCTIONS AND TO USE

THE PROCESS AS A COVER FOR ESPIONAGE.   BUT WESTERN NATIONS 

REMAIN SUSPICIOUS OF WHETHER BAGHDAD IS IN FULL COMPLIANCE WITH 

U-N RESOLUTIONS ON THE DESTRUCTION OF WEAPONS,  NOTING IRAQ HAS 

TOLD HALF-TRUTHS IN THE PAST AND HAS REPEATEDLY BLOCKED WEAPONS 

INSPECTORS FROM DOING THEIR WORK.  (SIGNED) 



NEB/NJS/RRM







     



03-Nov-97 5:54 PM EST (2254 UTC)

NNNN



Source: Voice of America

.