DATE=2/16/2000
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=US-IRAQ SANCTIONS (L-ONLY)
NUMBER=2-259233
BYLINE=JON TKACH
DATELINE=WASHINGTON
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:


INTRO:  Seventy members of Congress are calling on the 
Clinton Administration to lift economic sanctions 
against Iraq.  Those who oppose sanctions say public 
opinion is turning their way. But as V-O-A's Jon Tkach 
(pron: Kotch) reports, the word from the State 
Department is that U-S policy on the Iraqi sanctions 
issue is not likely to change 


TEXT:  Against a backdrop of pictures of malnourished 
and sick Iraqi children, Democratic Congressman David 
Bonior compared the current United Nations economic 
sanctions against Iraq to weapons of mass destruction.  
He says there is just one difference - the sanctions 
leaves Iraq's military and political elite untouched.

            /// Bonior Act ///

      Yet, at the same time, it is a weapon that has 
      already killed more than one-million civilians - 
      mostly children.  That weapon is called economic 
      sanctions.

            /// End Act ///

At a news conference (Wednesday), Mr. Bonior said he 
and 69 other members of Congress sent a letter to 
President Clinton urging him to end the sanctions.

Representatives from several Arab-American groups 
joined the lawmakers outside the Capitol.  They said 
Washington needs to find another way to pressure Iraq 
into giving up its weapons of mass destruction 
program.

A representative of the American-Arab Anti-
Discrimination Committee (Hussein Ibish) cited the 
recent resignations of two top U-N humanitarian 
officials in Iraq as underscoring the failure of the 
sanctions policy.

But, not all Arab-Americans have joined the call for 
lifting the sanctions.  Saad Farage, an Iraqi exile, 
also was at the news conference, but in the audience. 

/// Begin Opt ///

/// Farage Act ///

I have family - my mother, my sister, my brother - 
living in Iraq, and I know that on a daily basis they 
are hurt every day.  But also if we let the sanctions 
be removed without imposing any facets to control the 
regime we are not doing a favor to the Iraqi people.

/// End Act ///

///End Opt ///

Mr. Farage says the number one goal of any policy 
should be ridding Iraq of the current regime.

The State Department position is that Iraqi leader 
Saddam Hussein - and not the sanctions -- is to blame 
for the suffering of his country's people.  And during 
a congressional hearing on Wednesday, Secretary of 
State Madeleine Albright indicated the 
administration's policy toward Iraq is not likely to 
change.

            /// Albright Act ///

      We believe that a tight sanctions regime is 
      important for the containment of Iraq so that it 
      does not pose a threat to its neighbors. 

            /// End Act ///

But Democratic Congressman John Conyers says he is 
introducing legislation that would mandate 
congressional review the current U-N sanctions and 
allow U-S export of food and medicine to Iraq.

(Signed)

NEB/JON/JP



16-Feb-2000 16:48 PM EDT (16-Feb-2000 2148 UTC)
NNNN

Source: Voice of America
.