DATE=1/14/98

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

NUMBER=2-225282

TITLE=IRAQ/U-N (L)

BYLINE=DOUGLAS ROBERTS

DATELINE=CAIRO

CONTENT=

VOICED AT: 



INTRO:  THE LATEST CONFRONTATION BETWEEN IRAQ AND THE UNITED 

NATIONS ESCALATED WEDNESDAY.  THE SECURITY COUNCIL DEPLORED 

BAGHDAD'S DECISION TO PREVENT AN AMERICAN-LED TEAM OF U-N WEAPONS

INSPECTORS FROM CARRYING OUT ITS MISSION.  BUT IRAQ'S DEPUTY 

PRIME MINISTER TARIQ AZIZ TOLD REPORTERS HIS GOVERNMENT WILL NOT 

BACK DOWN.  MORE FROM MIDDLE-EAST CORRESPONDENT DOUGLAS ROBERTS.



TEXT:  WHILE SOME U-N ARMS EXPERTS CONTINUED THEIR WORK WEDNESDAY

IN IRAQ, U-N TEAM HEADED BY AMERICAN SCOTT RITTER WAS EFFECTIVELY

BARRED FROM VISITING SUSPECTED WEAPONS SITES FOR THE SECOND DAY.



AT A NEWS CONFERENCE LATE IN THE DAY IN BAGHDAD, DEPUTY PRIME 

MINISTER AZIZ SAID THE BAN WILL REMAIN IN EFFECT UNTIL THE 

COMPOSITION OF MR. RITTER'S TEAM IS CHANGED, TO REDUCE THE NUMBER

OF U-S AND BRITISH CITIZENS.



ECHOING COMMENTS HE MADE WHEN THE CRISIS ERUPTED LAST OCTOBER, 

MR. AZIZ COMPLAINED WASHINGTON AND LONDON CONTINUE TO DOMINATE 

THE WORK OF THE ARMS COMMISSION, PROVIDING FALSE INFORMATION TO 

THE SECURITY COUNCIL.  HE SAYS THEIR AIM IS TO PROLONG THE 

INSPECTION PROCESS AND ENSURE THE U-N ECONOMIC SANCTIONS AGAINST 

IRAQ REMAIN IN FORCE INDEFINITELY.



SECURITY COUNCIL RESOLUTIONS STIPULATE THE SANCTIONS CAN ONLY BE 

LIFTED ONCE THE U-N COMMISSION HAS VERIFIED THE ELIMINATION OF 

IRAQ'S WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION AND ITS LONG RANGE MISSILES.



MR. AZIZ CONTENDED VERIFICATION WOULD COME QUICKLY IF THE MAKE-UP

OF THE ARMS COMMISSION WAS MORE BALANCED.  IRAQ HAS LONG 

MAINTAINED ALL ITS NUCLEAR, BIOLOGICAL AND CHEMICAL WEAPONS HAVE 

BEEN DESTROYED.  



THE DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER ACKNOWLEDGED MR. RITTER'S INSPECTION 

TEAM WAS SEEKING INFORMATION ABOUT REPORTS BAGHDAD HAD TESTED 

BIOLOGICAL WEAPONS ON HUMANS.  THE U-N HAS ACKNOWLEDGED NO 

DOCUMENTS WERE FOUND TO SUBSTANTIATE THE REPORTS,  ND MR. AZIZ 

DECLARED NO SUCH TESTS WERE CARRIED OUT.



THE IRAQI OFFICIAL ACCUSED THE HEAD OF THE COMMISSION, AUSTRALIAN

DIPLOMAT RICHARD BUTLER, OF PROCRASTINATING OVER PROPOSALS FROM 

RUSSIA, FRANCE, AND CHINA TO INCREASE THEIR PARTICIPATION IN THE 

COMMISSION.



MR. AZIZ SAID MOST MEMBERS OF THE SECURITY COUNCIL, WITH THE 

EXCEPTION OF THE UNITED STATES AND BRITAIN, UNDERSTAND IRAQ'S 

GRIEVANCES.  HE SAID BAGHDAD APPRECIATES EFFORTS BY A NUMBER OF 

COUNTRIES TO RESOLVE THE IMPASSE.



HE INDICATED THE IRAQI GOVERNMENT IS PREPARED TO GIVE THOSE 

EFFORTS MORE TIME.  HE SAID IRAQ HAS NO PLANS TO EXPEL THE 

AMERICAN MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION, AS IT DID LAST NOVEMBER.  IN 

RESPONSE TO QUESTIONS, HE POINTEDLY DECLINED TO RENEW IRAQ'S 

EARLIER THREAT TO SHOOT DOWN U-S RECONNAISSANCE PLANES USED BY 

THE UNITED NATIONS TO MONITOR IRAQI WEAPONS SITES.



MR. AZIZ CONFIRMED HE WILL GO AHEAD WITH A PLANNED MEETING WITH 

COMMISSION CHAIRMAN BUTLER, WHO IS DUE IN BAGHDAD EARLY NEXT 

WEEK.   (SIGNED)



NEB/DBR/WDC/RAE



14-Jan-98 3:08 PM EST (2008 UTC)

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Source: Voice of America

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