DATE=12/23/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-243459
TITLE=U-N / IRAQ STATEMENT (L)
BYLINE=MAX RUSTON
DATELINE=UNITED NATIONS
CONTENT=
VOICED AT: 

INTRO:  RUSSIA AND THE UNITED STATES ARE CONTINUING TO DISAGREE 
OVER WHAT ROLE THE UNITED NATIONS SHOULD PLAY IN IRAQ.  DIPLOMATS
FROM THE TWO COUNTRIES DISCUSSED THE SITUATION TODAY (WEDNESDAY) 
IN THE U-N SECURITY COUNCIL.  V-O-A CORRESPONDENT MAX RUSTON 
REPORTS FROM OUR U-N BUREAU.

TEXT:  THE COUNCIL HELD ITS THIRD CONSECUTIVE DAY OF DISCUSSIONS 
ON A SECURITY COUNCIL STATEMENT PROPOSED BY RUSSIA.  IN THE 
LATEST MEETING, U-S DIPLOMATS PROPOSED REVISIONS OF TWO KEY 
ELEMENTS OF THE STATEMENT.  RUSSIAN DIPLOMATS SAY THEY ARE 
WAITING FOR FURTHER GUIDANCE ON THE ISSUE FROM MOSCOW.

THE U-S REVISIONS WOULD REMOVE A SENTENCE EXPRESSING REGRET THAT 
FORCE WAS USED AGAINST IRAQ.  THE UNITED STATES ALSO WANT TO 
CHANGE THE WORDING OF REQUESTS FOR ASSISTANCE FROM U-N 
SECRETARY-GENERAL KOFI ANNAN.  U-S OFFICIALS SAY MR. ANNAN IS 
WELCOME TO PLAY A DIPLOMATIC ROLE AND ASSIST WITH HUMANITARIAN 
ISSUES.  BUT THEY DO NOT WANT HIM TO INTERVENE IN DISARMAMENT 
ISSUES UNLESS SPECIFICALLY ASKED TO DO SO BY THE COUNCIL.

RUSSIAN DEPUTY AMBASSADOR YURIY FEDOTOV:

                       /// FEDOTOV ACT ///

         RUSSIA WANTS A VERY CLEAR PRESIDENTIAL STATEMENT WHICH 
         WOULD EXPRESS THE VIEW OF THE MAJORITY OF THE SECURITY 
         COUNCIL AND WHICH WOULD BASICALLY SAY THE THREE MOST 
         IMPORTANT THINGS, WHICH ARE THAT THE SECURITY COUNCIL IS
         IN CHARGE AND THE SECURITY COUNCIL IS IN FAVOR OF 
         POLITICAL SETTLEMENT OF INTERNATIONAL CRISES.  TWO, THAT
         THE SECRETARY GENERAL MUST CONTINUE TO PLAY HIS 
         IMPORTANT AND MEANINGFUL ROLE IN THIS CRISIS.  AND 
         THREE, WE HAVE TO DETERMINE WHAT HAS TO BE DONE IN ORDER
         TO RESUME THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE SECURITY COUNCIL 
         RESOLUTIONS ON IRAQ.

                         /// END ACT ///

MOST MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL APPEAR TO AGREE ON ONE ADDITIONAL 
POINT IN THE STATEMENT PROPOSED BY RUSSIA ... THAT AN OVERALL 
ASSESSMENT BE CARRIED OUT OF THE CURRENT SITUATION ON THE GROUND 
IN IRAQ.  THE UNITED STATES SAYS IT WOULD LIKE SUCH AN ASSESSMENT
CARRIED OUT BEFORE THE END OF JANUARY.

THE ASSESSMENT WOULD BE DESIGNED TO HELP THE COUNCIL DECIDE HOW 
TO REVIVE ITS ABILITY TO MONITOR IRAQ'S WEAPONS PROGRAMS.  THE 
COUNCIL RELIED ON THE U-N WEAPONS INSPECTION COMMISSION, UNSCOM, 
BEFORE THE LATEST STRIKES AGAINST IRAQ.  BUT IRAQ NOW SAYS IT 
WILL NOT ALLOW UNSCOM BACK IN THE COUNTRY.  AND SOME SECURITY 
COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE CALLING FOR CHANGES IN UNSCOM'S STRUCTURE.  
DIPLOMATS SAY IT WILL BE DIFFICULT FOR THE SECURITY COUNCIL TO 
REACH A CONSENSUS ON THAT ISSUE.  (SIGNED)

NEB/UN/MPR/LSF/GE

23-Dec-98 3:27 PM EST (2027 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America
.