DATE=1/13/98

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

NUMBER=2-225188

TITLE=IRAQ/U-N (L)

BYLINE=DOUGLAS ROBERTS

DATELINE=CAIRO

CONTENT=

VOICED AT: 



INTRO:  THE IRAQI GOVERNMENT TUESDAY CARRIED OUT ITS THREAT TO 

BLOCK THE WORK OF A GROUP OF U-N WEAPONS INSPECTORS, RAISING 

FEARS OF ANOTHER INTERNATIONAL CRISIS OVER THE U-N'S EFFORTS TO 

VERIFY THE ELIMINATION OF IRAQ'S WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION.  

MIDDLE EAST CORRESPONDENT DOUGLAS ROBERTS HAS DETAILS.



TEXT:   THREE TEAMS OF U-N INSPECTORS IN IRAQ WENT ABOUT THEIR 

BUSINESS AS USUAL TUESDAY.  BUT THAT WAS  NOT  THE CASE FOR A 

FOURTH GROUP, HEADED BY SCOTT RITTER, A U-S CITIZEN WHO IRAQ HAS 

REPEATEDLY ACCUSED OF SPYING.



IRAQI AUTHORITIES FAILED TO PROVIDE MR. RITTER'S TEAM WITH 

ESCORTS, EFFECTIVELY DENYING THE U-N EXPERTS ACCESS TO SUSPECTED 

WEAPONS SITES.



MR. RITTER, WHO HAS COME UNDER PERSONAL ATTACK IN THE 

STATE-CONTROLLED BAGHDAD NEWS MEDIA, CALLED THE IRAQI MOVE 

UNFORTUNATE.  SPEAKING TO REPORTERS OUTSIDE THE U-N COMPOUND, HE 

TERMED THE SPY CHARGES AGAINST HIM RIDICULOUS.



THE IRAQI GOVERNMENT HAS COMPLAINED ABOUT THE COMPOSITION OF MR. 

RITTER'S TEAM OF INSPECTORS, SAYING IT INCLUDES TOO MANY U-S AND 

BRITISH CITIZENS.



BAGHDAD ACCUSES WASHINGTON AND LONDON OF MANIPULATING THE 

INSPECTION PROCESS TO GATHER INTELLIGENCE INFORMATION, AND TO 

PROLONG THE U-N ECONOMIC SANCTIONS, IN EFFECT SINCE THE IRAQI 

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



SECURITY COUNCIL RESOLUTIONS STIPULATE THAT THE SANCTIONS CAN 

ONLY BE LIFTED AFTER THE U-N HAS VERIFIED THE ELIMINATION OF 

IRAQ'S NUCLEAR, CHEMICAL AND BIOLOGICAL WEAPONS PROGRAMS, AS WELL

AS THE DESTRUCTION OF ITS LONG-RANGE MISSILES.



THE HEAD OF THE U-N ARMS COMMISSION, AUSTRALIAN DIPLOMAT RICHARD 

BUTLER, SAID LATE MONDAY IRAQ HAS NO RIGHT TO DICTATE THE 

COMPOSITION OF THE INSPECTION TEAMS.



THERE WAS A SIMILAR STATEMENT FROM SENIOR AMERICAN OFFICIALS, WHO

ARE DEMANDING A TOUGH U-N RESPONSE TO THE LATEST IRAQI MOVE.



//REST OPT// AS THE SECURITY COUNCIL PREPARED TO DISCUSS THE 

SITUATION, THE RUSSIAN GOVERNMENT ANNOUNCED IT IS ACTIVELY 

WORKING TO EASE THE TENSIONS.  IT WAS RUSSIAN INTERVENTION THAT 

HELPED DEFUSE LAST NOVEMBER'S CRISIS OVER THE WEAPONS 

INSPECTIONS, SPARKED BY BAGHDAD'S DECISION TO EXPEL AMERICAN 

MEMBERS OF THE U-N COMMISSION.



MOSCOW PERSUADED IRAQ TO RESCIND ITS EXPULSION ORDER IN EXCHANGE 

FOR A RUSSIAN PLEDGE TO WORK FOR THE EARLY LIFTING OF THE 

ECONOMIC SANCTIONS. (SIGNED) 



NEB/DBR/PCF



13-Jan-98 8:47 AM EST (1347 UTC)

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Source: Voice of America

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