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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 -- ------------------------------------------------------------------------- This is a discussion list run by the Campaign Against Sanctions on Iraq. To be removed/added, email soc-casi-discuss-request@lists.cam.ac.uk, NOT the whole list. Please do not sent emails with attached files to the list *** Archived at http://linux.clare.cam.ac.uk/~saw27/casi/discuss.html ***