U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
DAILY PRESS BRIEFING
DPB # 87
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 20, 2001  1:20 P.M.
(ON THE RECORD UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED)

Q:  Can you tell us where you are in terms of garnering support for the
sanctions or amending sanctions against Iraq?  And can you tell us what came
out of the Secretary's meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Ivanov on this
subject?
MR. BOUCHER:  Generally, I would say that we are working intensively with
other governments, UN Security Council members and others, on how to open up
access to civilian goods for the Iraqi civilian population and to focus UN
controls on weapons-related items.
There is a US and British proposal that would change the system to improve
the
situation of the Iraqi people and strengthen control of Iraq's ability to
rearm.  We and others prefer to change the system rather than to retain the
current status quo.
There are extensive consultations going on on the technical details of this
new approach.  There have been experts meetings in a variety of fora.  These
discussions will continue, and we would urge the Council to meet its own
deadline as we work towards July 3rd.
Q:  Richard, what about the meeting with Ivanov?  I wasn't on that trip so I
didn't --
MR. BOUCHER:  In the meeting with Foreign Minister Ivanov in Slovenia, the
Secretary called and he discussed a whole number of subjects, including this
issue of Iraq and the need for the technical experts to focus more carefully
on the goods review list and the other procedures that need to be developed.
So basically, they talked about reinvigorating the experts process to come
to
solid conclusions within the time frame the Council has set for itself.
Q:  And did they reach any concrete conclusions about how they were going to
do that?  I mean, did they make progress?
MR. BOUCHER:  They reached the conclusion that they would do that, that they
would each get in touch with their experts and try to make it happen
smoothly
and quickly.
Q:  Okay, thank you.