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RE: [ADC-ITF] UK Backs Lifting Iraqi Sanctions (fwd)



A brief response to a remark in Wednesday's (16.6.99) posting on the
UK/Dutch Security Council proposal.  In the 16.6.99 posting Matthias
Gockel <matthias.gockel@ptsem.edu> had noted that:

> 4) In 1996 the IAEA was reportedly ready to confirm that the 'nuclear
> file' was no longer a reason to continue the sanctions.

Under UN SCR 687 (April 1991, extending the sanctions after the Gulf War)
the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has had responsibility for
investigating Iraq's nuclear weapons programmes.

It is true that the IAEA has consistently reported greater cooperation
from the Iraqi regime than has Unscom (the purpose built body responsible
for chemical and biological weapons and ballistic missiles).

I had initially interpreted this to mean either that the IAEA was
diplomatic (in contrast to the hostile stance that Unscom is perceived to
hide) or that Iraq's nuclear programme was less important to it than its
other non-conventional programmes.

Reading the Cockburn's Out of the Ashes, though, suggests another
interpretation: they claim that the IAEA has been systemically deceived by
Iraq, providing it with a clean bill of health before the Gulf War.  As
the extent of Iraq's nuclear programme has become clear the Cockburns
claim that the IAEA has had difficulty admitting that they did not notice
this earlier.

Colin Rowat
Coordinator, Campaign Against Sanctions on Iraq
http://linux.clare.cam.ac.uk/casi

King's College                                                 
Cambridge CB2 1ST                       tel: +44 (0)468 056 984
England                                 fax: +44 (0)1223 335 219

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