DATE=8/10/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-236843
TITLE=U-N - IRAQ / ARMS REVIEW (L - ONLY)
BYLINE=MAX RUSTON
DATELINE=UNITED NATIONS
CONTENT=
VOICED AT: 

INTRO:  U-N SECRETARY-GENERAL KOFI ANNAN TODAY (MONDAY) SENT A 
SPECIAL ENVOY TO BAGHDAD TO URGE IRAQ TO RESUME COOPERATION WITH 
U-N WEAPONS INSPECTORS.  V-O-A'S MAX RUSTON REPORTS ON THE LATEST
UNITED NATIONS EFFORT TO DEFUSE GROWING TENSION SURROUNDING IRAQ.

TEXT:  MR. ANNAN WAS IN LISBON, PORTUGAL, WHEN HE SUMMONED 
SPECIAL ENVOY PRAKASH SHAH FOR EMERGENCY CONSULTATIONS.  
IMMEDIATELY AFTER THOSE TALKS, MR. SHAH RETURNED TO IRAQ.  MR. 
ANNAN SAYS THE ENVOY IS CARRYING "A VERY FIRM MESSAGE URGING THE 
IRAQIS TO CHANGE THEIR POSITION."  MR. ANNAN SAYS HE HOPES THE 
IRAQI GOVERNMENT WILL LISTEN TO HIS MESSAGE AND, IN HIS WORDS, 
"FIND A WAY OUT."

U-N SPOKESMAN JUAN-CARLOS BRANDT, SPEAKING IN NEW YORK MONDAY, 
INDICATED THAT SO-CALLED "WAY OUT" COULD INVOLVE AN OVERALL, 
IMPARTIAL REVIEW OF THE TROUBLED RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN IRAQ AND 
THE U-N WEAPONS INSPECTION COMMISSION, UNSCOM.

                       /// BRANDT ACT ///

         THE SECRETARY-GENERAL, AS YOU KNOW, DISCUSSED WITH THE 
         COUNCIL PERHAPS A WAY TO HAVE SOME KIND OF OVERALL 
         REVIEW OF THE RELATIONSHIP THAT EXISTS BETWEEN THE 
         COUNCIL AND THE GOVERNMENT OF IRAQ CONCERNING THE REGIME
         OF SANCTIONS AND THE SITUATION CONCERNING THE WORK OF 
         UNSCOM.

                         /// END ACT ///

TENSION INVOLVING IRAQ BEGAN TO INCREASE LAST WEEK WHEN IRAQ 
ACCUSED UNSCOM OF UNFAIRLY DELAYING THE WEAPONS INSPECTION 
PROCESS.  THAT PROCESS, INCLUDING VERIFICATION THAT IRAQ NO 
LONGER HAS ANY WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION, MUST BE COMPLETED 
BEFORE SANCTIONS IMPOSED AFTER THE GULF WAR CAN BE LIFTED.  IRAQ 
WANTS THOSE SANCTIONS LIFTED IMMEDIATELY.

MR. ANNAN LAST WEEK SUGGESTED TO THE U-N SECURITY COUNCIL THAT A 
COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW OF SANCTIONS AND INSPECTIONS FACING IRAQ BE 
CARRIED OUT.  DIPLOMATS SAY MR. ANNAN BELIEVES SUCH A REVIEW 
WOULD CLARIFY EXACTLY WHAT, IF ANYTHING, CAN BE DONE TO IMPROVE 
THE SITUATION.

AT THE MOMENT, THERE IS A GREAT DEAL OF CONFUSION CONCERNING THE 
INSPECTION PROCESS.  IRAQ ANNOUNCED LAST WEEK THAT IT WAS 
SUSPENDING COOPERATION WITH UNSCOM.  SINCE THEN IT HAS HALTED 
ONLY CERTAIN ELEMENTS OF ITS WORK WITH THE WEAPONS INSPECTORS.  
UNSCOM SAYS THE MONITORING OF SITES ALREADY INSPECTED IS 
CONTINUING, BUT  NO  NEW INSPECTIONS ARE TAKING PLACE.

                      /// REST OPTIONAL ///

THE U-N SECURITY COUNCIL HAS DESCRIBED IRAQ'S SUSPENSION OF 
COOPERATION WITH THE WEAPONS INSPECTORS AS TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE, 
BUT STOPPED SHORT OF IMPOSING PUNITIVE MEASURES.  IRAQ'S 
AMBASSADOR TO THE UNITED NATIONS, NIZAR HAMDOON, ON MONDAY CUT 
SHORT HIS HOLIDAY IN IRAQ TO RETURN TO NEW YORK, APPARENTLY TO 
HELP IMPROVE (IRAQ'S) COMMUNICATIONS WITH MR. ANNAN AND THE 
SECURITY COUNCIL.  (SIGNED)

NEB/UN/MPR/LSF/KL

10-Aug-98 2:21 PM EDT (1821 UTC)
NNNN

Source: Voice of America
.