DATE=1/12/98

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

NUMBER=2-225144

TITLE=IRAQ/U-N (L)

BYLINE=DOUGLAS ROBERTS

DATELINE=CAIRO

CONTENT=

VOICED AT: 



INTRO: THE IRAQI GOVERNMENT MONDAY ANNOUNCED IT IS HALTING THE 

WORK OF A TEAM OF UNITED NATIONS WEAPONS INSPECTORS, HEADED BY AN

AMERICAN CITIZEN.   MIDDLE EAST CORRESPONDENT DOUGLAS ROBERTS 

REPORTS THE MOVE RAISES THE SPECTER OF A FRESH CONFRONTATION 

BETWEEN BAGHDAD AND THE U-N SECURITY COUNCIL.



TEXT:   A BRIEF DISPATCH FROM THE OFFICIAL IRAQI NEWS AGENCY 

MONDAY SAYS THE GOVERNMENT HAS DECIDED TO BLOCK ACTIVITIES BY ONE

TEAM OF U-N INSPECTORS HEADED BY SCOTT RITTER, A U-S CITIZEN 

BAGHDAD HAS REPEATEDLY ACCUSED OF SPYING.



THE NEWS AGENCY DISPATCH SAYS THE BAN WILL GO INTO EFFECT ON 

TUESDAY, AND REMAIN IN FORCE UNTIL THE COMPOSITION OF THE U-N 

TEAM IS MORE BALANCED.



//OPT// OVER THE WEEKEND, IRAQ COMPLAINED THAT MR. RITTER'S TEAM 

OF ARMS INSPECTORS INCLUDES TOO MANY U-S AND BRITISH CITIZENS. 

//END OPT//



BAGHDAD ALLEGES THAT WASHINGTON AND LONDON ARE MANIPULATING THE 

INSPECTIONS FOR ESPIONAGE PURPOSES, AND TO PROLONG THE U-N 

ECONOMIC SANCTIONS AGAINST IRAQ -- IN EFFECT SINCE ITS INVASION 

OF KUWAIT SEVEN-AND-A-HALF YEARS AGO.



MR. RITTER, A RETIRED MARINE CORPS OFFICER, WAS AMONG THE U-S 

MEMBERS OF THE ARMS COMMISSION EXPELLED FROM IRAQ LAST NOVEMBER. 

THE EXPULSIONS TOUCHED OFF A MAJOR INTERNATIONAL CRISIS AND 

PROMPTED AN AMERICAN MILITARY BUILD-UP IN THE GULF REGION.



THE CRISIS EASED A WEEK LATER, AFTER BAGHDAD RESCINDED THE 

EXPULSION ORDER AT THE URGING OF THE RUSSIAN GOVERNMENT.



REACTING TO THE LATEST IRAQI MOVE, U-S OFFICIALS SAID BAGHDAD 

MUST NOT BE ALLOWED TO DICTATE THE COMPOSITION OF THE U-N TEAMS. 

AND THEY SAID THE INSPECTORS MUST BE ALLOWED TO COMPLETE THEIR 

TASK OF VERIFYING THE ELIMINATION OF IRAQ'S WEAPONS OF MASS 

DESTRUCTION.



ALTHOUGH THE INSPECTIONS HAVE PROCEEDED WITHOUT INCIDENT SINCE 

THE END OF THE NOVEMBER CRISIS, IRAQ IS STILL DENYING THE 

INSPECTORS ACCESS TO DOZENS OF SENSITIVE SITES, INCLUDING 

PRESIDENTIAL COMPOUNDS.



//REST OPT// THE HEAD OF THE WEAPONS COMMISSION, AUSTRALIAN 

DIPLOMAT RICHARD BUTLER, HAS SAID THE INSPECTORS MUST BE ALLOWED 

TO VISIT ANY SITES WHERE THEY SUSPECT IRAQ IS CONCEALING MATERIAL

OR DOCUMENTS RELATED TO ITS NUCLEAR, CHEMICAL OR BIOLOGICAL 

WEAPONS PROGRAMS.



THAT ISSUE HAD BEEN EXPECTED TO DOMINATE MR. BUTLER'S TALKS WITH 

IRAQI OFFICIALS IN BAGHDAD, SCHEDULED FOR NEXT WEEK.



WHAT IMPACT MONDAY'S IRAQI ANNOUNCEMENT WILL HAVE ON THE PLANNED 

MEETING REMAINS TO BE SEEN. (SIGNED)



NEB/DBR/PCF



12-Jan-98 12:50 PM EST (1750 UTC)

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Source: Voice of America

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