DATE=1/24/2000
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=ALBRIGHT-IRAQ (L-ONLY)
NUMBER=2-258384
BYLINE=BRECK ARDERY
DATELINE=UNITED NATIONS
CONTENT=

VOICED AT:


INTRO:  U-S Secretary of State Madeleine Albright 
today (Monday) called on the U-N Security Council to 
accept the appointment of Rolf Ekeus as the new chief 
arms inspector for Iraq. V-O-A Correspondent Breck 
Ardery reports from the United Nations.


TEXT:  Secretary Albright was at the United Nations to 
preside over a special (Security Council) session on 
the conflict in Congo-Kinshasa. During a break in that 
meeting, Ms. Albright told reporters she is concerned 
that the Security Council has not approved Mr. Ekeus 
to head the Iraqi arms inspection system.

            /// ALBRIGHT ACT ///

      There is no more important subject for the 
      Security Council to deal with than Iraq. I was 
      deeply disappointed by some of the discussions 
      last week in which the Security Council did not 
      honor the agreement that the Secretary-General 
      would be able to name a chairman.

            /// END ACT ///

Ms. Albright was referring to the latest Security 
Council resolution on Iraq, passed in December, in 
which U-N Secretary-General Kofi Annan was directed to 
appoint a new chief weapons inspector. The appointment 
of Mr. Ekeus, a Swedish diplomat who established the 
first weapons inspection operation in Iraq almost nine 
years ago, is facing opposition from China, France and 
Russia, all permanent members of the Security Council. 
They say that, since Iraq opposes Mr. Ekeus, his 
appointment would likely mean no Iraqi cooperation 
with arms inspections.
The United States is still hoping to convince fellow 
Security Council members to go along with the 
appointment of Mr. Ekeus. However, the U-S Ambassador 
to the United Nations, Richard Holbrooke, says he is 
not sure "how or when" the matter will be resolved. 
(Signed)      

NEB/BA/LSF/TVM/gm



24-Jan-2000 16:40 PM EDT (24-Jan-2000 2140 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America
.