DATE=12/3/97

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

NUMBER=2-223631

TITLE=SANCTIONS DEBATE ( L ONLY)

BYLINE=GIL BUTLER

DATELINE=WASHINGTON

CONTENT=

VOICED AT: 



                // RERUNNING TO CLARIFY TYPOS //



INTRO:  ONE OF THE MOST DEBATED ISSUES WORLDWIDE IN RECENT YEARS 

HAS BEEN CONTINUED ECONOMIC SANCTIONS ON IRAQ, IMPOSED BY THE 

UNITED NATIONS AFTER THE GULF WAR TO ENSURE DESTRUCTION OF IRAQ'S

MASS DESTRUCTION WEAPONS.  THE BROOKINGS INSTITUTION, A 

WASHINGTON POLICY RESEARCH ORGANIZATION, HELD A WIDE RANGING 

DISCUSSION WEDNESDAY ON THE EFFECTIVENESS OF SANCTIONS AS A TOOL 

OF FOREIGN POLICY.  V-O-A'S GIL BUTLER HAS A REPORT.



TEXT:  THE DISCUSSION ON WHETHER SANCTIONS WORK ***INCLUDED***  

NOT  ONLY THE SIX YEARS OF ECONOMIC SANCTIONS AGAINST IRAQ, BUT 

THE SANCTIONS IMPOSED BY THE UNITED STATES AGAINST CUBA, LIBYA, 

IRAN SUDAN AND BURMA. 



OVERALL THE PANELISTS -- FOREIGN POLICY EXPERTS, A BUSINESSMAN 

AND AN ECONOMIST -- AGREED THAT IN RECENT YEARS THE UNITED STATES

HAS BEEN TOO QUICK TO RESORT TO SANCTIONS.  IN THE WORDS OF ONE 

PANELIST:  SANCTIONS SHOULD BE CONSIDERED AS SERIOUSLY AS 

MILITARY INTERVENTION.  



RICHARD HAASS OF THE BROOKINGS INSTITUTION ARGUED THAT SANCTIONS 

ARE SOMETIMES COUNTER PRODUCTIVE -- HARMING AMERICAN INTERESTS 

MORE THAN THE COUNTRY AGAINST WHICH THEY ARE AIMED.



BUT IN THE CASE OF IRAQ, HE SAYS, THE SANCTIONS HAVE HAD POSITIVE

RESULTS.  



                        /// HAASS ACT ///



         HOWEVER TROUBLESOME SADDAM HUSSEIN'S IRAQ IS TODAY, IT 

         WOULD BE A FAR GREATER PROBLEM FOR US ALL IN THE ABSENCE

         OF THE SANCTIONS THAT ARE CURRENTLY IN PLACE.



                         /// END ACT ///



MR. HAASS SAYS SANCTIONS SHOULD BE MULTILATERAL -- THAT THE 

UNITED STATES CAN  NOT  EFFECTIVELY ACT ALONE.  HE SAYS THERE 

MUST BE HUMANITARIAN EXCEPTIONS TO ECONOMIC SANCTIONS.



SOME AT THE BROOKINGS DISCUSSION ARGUED FOR WHAT THEY CALLED 

"SMART" SANCTIONS, THAT IS, AIMING THE PUNISHMENT AT THE LEADERS 

INSTEAD OF BROAD SANCTIONS THAT HURT INNOCENT PEOPLE.  BUT 

KIMBERLY ELLIOT OF THE INSTITUTE FOR INTERNATIONAL ECONOMICS 

DOUBTED THAT COULD BE EFFECTIVE. 



                       /// ELLIOT ACT ///



         THESE NASTY GUYS ARE ALL HIDING THEIR ASSETS.  THERE WAS

         A MASSIVE SEARCH TO FIND SADDAM HUSSEIN'S ASSETS AND AS 

         FAR AS I AM AWARE, VERY LITTLE SUCCESS IN DOING THAT.  

         THE SMART SANCTIONS OF THAT TYPE, OF TRYING TO TARGET 

         INDIVIDUAL NASTY GUYS AND GET THEIR ASSETS, ARE  NOT  

         LIKELY TO BE VERY EFFECTIVE.



                         /// END ACT ///



ALL OF THE PANELISTS AGREED THAT THE U-S CONGRESS HAS BEEN TOO 

QUICK TO INITIATE ECONOMIC SANCTIONS OVER NARROW DISPUTES AND 

THAT THE ADMINISTRATION HAS  NOT  TRIED HARD ENOUGH ***TO STOP***

THEM.



RICHARD HAASS PREDICTED MORE SANCTIONS WILL BE COMING.  IN HIS 

WORDS, THE HIGH WATER MARK OF SANCTIONS HAS  NOT  BEEN REACHED.



                        /// HAAS ACT ///



         MY HUNCH IS, WE ARE GOING TO SEE MORE OF SINGLE-ISSUE, 

         SINGLE COUNTRY SANCTIONS RATHER THAN LESS.  AND IF YOU 

         LOOK AT THE HOPPER OF BILLS WAITING UP ON THE HILL, 

         THERE ARE PROBABLY 50 OR 60 THAT DEAL WITH CHINA ALONE 

         ON ISSUES OF RELIGIOUS PERSECUTION OF HUMAN RIGHTS 

         ACROSS THE GAMUT.  VIRTUALLY EVERY OTHER ISSUE OF 

         AMERICAN FOREIGN POLICY IS NOW WEDDED SOMEWHERE TO 

         SANCTIONS.



                         /// END ACT ///



KIMBERLY ELLIOT SUMMED UP WHAT SEEMED TO BE THE PREVAILING POINT 

OF VIEW AT THE BROOKINGS DISCUSSION:  SANCTIONS ARE TOO READILY 

USED, ARE TOO BROAD A WEAPON, SHOULD  NOT  BE IMPOSED WITHOUT 

GREAT FORETHOUGHT, BUT SHOULD  NOT  BE DISCARDED AS A TOOL OF 

FOREIGN POLICY.  (SIGNED)



NEB/MGB/MMK







03-Dec-97 3:33 PM EST (2033 UTC)

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Source: Voice of America

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