DATE=9/21/1999
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=U-N/IRAQ SANCTIONS (L)
NUMBER=2-254172
BYLINE=NICK SIMEONE
DATELINE=NEW YORK
CONTENT=

VOICED AT:


INTRO:  The five permanent members of the UN Security 
Council are trying to find agreement on a resolution 
that would authorize a return weapons inspectors to 
Iraq in exchange for a slight easing of the sanctions 
that have been in place against Baghdad since the end 
of the Gulf War.  But as Correspondent Nick Simeone 
reports from New York, The United States and Britain 
are having a hard time gaining the full support of key 
council members.


TEXT:  United Nations weapons inspectors have been 
gone from Iraq since Baghdad expelled them last year.  
In the intervening time, unity among security council 
members for the need to keep rigid sanctions in place 
has faded.  Secretary of State Madeleine Albright is 
hoping her consultations with other council members in 
New York this week will led to a breakthrough and a 
resolution that will get weapons inspectors back on 
the job - while keeping sanctions in place until Iraq 
is declared free of all weapons of mass destruction.

            // ALBRIGHT ACT // 

      What we've been working very hard to do is 
      regain the consensus that the Security Council 
      had previously.   It's important to get a 
      monitoring team on the ground so that we can 
      tell what is going on.  

            // END ACT //

The United States and Britain are leading the effort 
to craft a resolution to return U-N weapons teams to 
Iraq.  But U-S officials say gaining agreement among 
permanent council members - in particular Russia and 
China -- to go along with a new sanctions regime has 
been extraordinarily difficult.  Both favor an early 
lifting of sanctions and have the power to veto any 
resolution.  The situation again appears to be putting 
Washington and London in the position of trying to go 
it alone to convince the council sanctions should be 
maintained.

During a dinner with Secretary Albright Tuesday, 
British Foreign Secretary Robin Cook tried to put the 
best face on the situation.

            // COOK ACT //

      We have the very clear impression that a lot of 
      members of the security council are on board 
      with the text that we have and that we've made a 
      lot of progress with other members.   As I've 
      said earlier today, we're not there yet.  

            // END ACT //

The United States paid the cost of flying members of 
the Iraqi opposition groups to New York in part to 
lobby council members to maintain sanctions and to 
generate new support for efforts to oust Saddam 
Hussein.  Members of the Iraqi National Congress favor 
expanding Iraq's oil for food program but in line with 
the U-S and British view, want to make sure that no 
funds go to benefit the Iraqi government. (SIGNED)

 

NEB/NJS/TVM/PT



21-Sep-1999 21:26 PM LOC (22-Sep-1999 0126 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America
.