DATE=

TYPE=BACKGROUND REPORT

NUMBER=5-38638

TITLE=A NEW PLAN FOR IRAQ

BYLINE= ED WARNER

DATELINE= WASHINGTON

CONTENT=

VOICED AT: 



INTRO:  ECONOMIC SANCTIONS HAVE TAKEN THEIR TOLL OF THE PEOPLE OF

IRAQ, LEADING NINE AID AGENCIES TO URGE THAT THEY BE LIFTED. BUT 

BECAUSE IRAQ HAS NOT FULLY COMPLIED WITH U-N RESOLUTIONS, THE 

SANCTIONS REMAIN IN PLACE. VOA'S ED WARNER REPORTS A PLAN BY A 

FORMER U-S DIPLOMAT TO GET BADLY NEEDED FOOD AND MEDICINE TO IRAQ

WITHOUT REDUCING THE PRESSURE ON SADDAM HUSSEIN.  



TEXT:  A RECENT SURVEY BY UNICEF INDICATES THAT ONE-THIRD OF ALL 

IRAQI CHILDREN UNDER FIVE-- ALMOST A MILLION-- ARE CHRONICALLY 

MALNOURISHED AS A RESULT OF ECONOMIC SANCTIONS.  THE INFANT 

MORTALITY RATE HAS DOUBLED IN THE LAST SIX YEARS WITH EIGHT 

THOUSAND DYING EACH MONTH FROM A VARIETY OF DISEASES.



IRAQ IS PERMITTED TO SELL SOME OIL TO ACQUIRE FOOD AND MEDICINE. 

BUT NOT MUCH IS GETTING TO THE PEOPLE.   ALONG WITH BUREAUCRATIC 

SNAGS AND DELAYS, TRANSPORTATION IS LACKING IN IRAQ FOR TIMELY 

DELIVERY. 



BRIDGET DUCHESNE IN THE NEW YORK OFFICE OF UNICEF SAYS A WHOLE 

NATION IS AT RISK:



                             /// DUCHESNE ACT ///



         IT IS A DRAMATIC DETERIORATION OF THE NUTRITIONAL LEVEL 

         AND THE WELL-BEING OF IRAQI CHILDREN SINCE 1991, AND 

         OBVIOUSLY WE ARE ALL CONCERNED. I SUSPECT THAT MANY 

         GOVERNMENTS MAY NOT BE AS INTERESTED IN A COUNTRY SUCH 

         AS IRAQ, BUT THE BOTTOM LINE IS CHLDREN ARE SUFFERING, 

         AND ONE HAS GET TO THEM REGARDLESS OF THE POLITICS. IT 

         IS ALWAYS DIFFICULT TO GET TO THOSE MOST IN NEED.



                                 /// END ACT ///



TO GET AROUND THESE DIFFICULTIES, A FORMER U-S AMBASSADOR TO THE 

MIDDLE EAST PROPOSES THAT THE UNITED NATIONS DELIVER FOOD AND 

MEDICINE DIRECTLY TO IRAQIS BY ESTABLISHING ITS OWN DISTRIBUTION 

CENTERS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY. 



WILLIAM RUGH, NOW PRESIDENT OF AMIDEAST, A PRIVATE EDUCATIONAL 

ORGANIZATION, SAYS SADDAM HUSSEIN MIGHT RESIST SUCH A PROGRAM BUT

IT WOULD DEMONSTRATE U-S HUMANITARIAN RESOLVE:



                                 // RUGH ACT //



         IN PRINCIPLE, THE UNITED STATES IS CONCERNED ABOUT THE 

         IRAQI PEOPLE, AND OUR POLICY IS DIRECTED AT THE IRAQI 

         REGIME AND NOT IN ANY WAY INTENDED TO HURT THE IRAQI 

         PEOPLE. BUT BECAUSE SADDAM HUSSEIN CONTROLS HIS COUNTRY 

         SO TIGHTLY, HE HAS MANAGED TO DIVERT FOOD AND MEDICINE 

         TO A SELECT GROUP OF IRAQIS, AND HE HAS CONVEYED THE 

         NOTION THAT THE WEST IS TRYING TO HURT THE IRAQI PEOPLE,

         WHICH IS NOT THE CASE AT ALL.



                                  // END ACT //



EVEN SO, BY INSISTING ON MAINTAINING THE EMBARGO, THE UNITED 

STATES IS INCREASINGLY BLAMED IN THE MIDDLE EAST FOR THE PLIGHT 

OF THE IRAQIS. THERE ARE FEARS SOME PEOPLE WHO HAVE SUFFERED 

COULD SEEK A SUBSTANTIAL REVENGE.



AMBASSADOR RUGH SAYS ARAB-WORLD PERCEPTIONS OF IRAQ DIFFER FROM 

THOSE OF AMERICA:



                                // RUGH ACT //



         THERE IS AN INCREASING FEELING IN THE ARAB WORLD THAT 

         SOMETHING DIFFERENT MUST BE DONE. THEY DO NOT HAVE A 

         SIMPLE AND LOGICAL ALTERNATIVE COURSE, THEY ARE JUST 

         VERY UNEASY WITH THE CURRENT STATUS QUO AND FEEL THAT IT

         IS TIME TO DO SOMETHING TO HELP THE PEOPLE OF IRAQ. I 

         THINK AMERICANS SYMPATHIZE WITH THAT, BUT WE SEEM TO BE 

         STUCK IN THE CURRENT GROOVE AND UNABLE TO FIND A NEW 

         WAY.



                                  // END ACT //



AMBASSADOR RUGH HAS PROPOSED ONE POSSIBLE SOLUTION, A DIRECT U-N 

DISTRIBUTION SIYSTEM.  (SIGNED)



NEB/EW/MGB



 



                                



 



         























         



         



         















10-Jan-98 2:30 PM EST (1930 UTC)

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Source: Voice of America

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