The following is an archived copy of a message sent to a Discussion List run by the Campaign Against Sanctions on Iraq.

Views expressed in this archived message are those of the author, not of the Campaign Against Sanctions on Iraq.

[Main archive index/search] [List information] [Campaign Against Sanctions on Iraq Homepage]


[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]

News for Dec 12 to Dec 19, 1999



News for the period December 12 to December 19, 1999
Sources: Reuters, Associated Press
Because so much has been posted to the CASI email list
this week, this week's news is mainly printed for
posterity.

Headlines

*       Security Council adopts new resolution on Iraq. Four
countries France, Russia, Chin and Malaysia abstain.

*       Iraqi government rejects new resolution.

*       Interesting stories about the political manouverings
up to and after the SCR vote are also included.

No news on bombings or the effects of sanctions this
week.

-----------------------------

Sunday December 19 1:16 PM ET 
U.S. Says U.N. Vote Adds Legitimacy to Iraq Embargo
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A U.N. Security Council
resolution that offered Baghdad a way out of crippling
economic sanctions has given greater international
legitimacy to the long-standing embargo, a senior U.S.
official said Sunday. 
After months of tough negotiations, the Security
Council on Friday voted narrowly to adopt a resolution
that could send U.N. weapons inspectors back to Iraq
and ease sanctions if Baghdad cooperates with them.
The vote was 11-0, with abstentions by permanent
council members China, France and Russia, along with
Malaysia. 
``Now if Iraq does not want to accept this, which is
what they've said ... the sanctions will remain in
effect,'' White House National Security Adviser Sandy
Berger told the CBS News program ``Face the Nation.'' 
``And I think the sanctions will have, in some sense,
a greater degree of legitimacy and acceptability
around the world because we offered them (the Iraqis)
an opportunity to a path to come out of sanctions if
they disarm, which they've rejected,'' Berger added. 
Iraq's Deputy Prime Minister Tareq Aziz Saturday
dismissed the U.N. resolution. The measure ``does not
meet Iraq's legitimate right in removing the (U.N.)
embargo,'' Aziz said in a statement carried by the
official Iraqi News Agency INA in Baghdad. 
``The real aim of the resolution ... is not to lift
the embargo, rather it is misleading public opinion
because the trickery suspension (of sanctions) stated
by the American and British resolution imposes a
series of complicated, long and vague conditions,''
Aziz said. 
The resolution sets up a new arms inspection agency,
named the U.N. Monitoring, Verification and Inspection
Commission (UNMOVIC), to replace the old U.N. Special
Commission (UNSCOM) charged with dismantling Iraq's
weapons of mass destruction. 
Iraqi officials have said they would not allow U.N.
weapons inspectors to return to Iraq. They were
withdrawn almost exactly a year ago, shortly before
the United States and Britain launched four days of
air and missile attacks. 
The resolution lifts the cap on how much oil Iraq can
sell under the three-year-old ``oil-for-food''
program, currently set at $5.26 billion every six
months. 
The program enables Iraq to buy food, medicine and
other necessities to help offset the effects of
stringent economic sanctions in force since its August
1990 invasion of Kuwait. 
``I think this vote is very significant,'' Berger
said. ``We worked for three or four months to
formulate a position that would pass the U.N. Security
Council -- a few abstentions, but it passed, no one
vetoed it.'' 
Berger said with the passage of the resolution ``we've
reestablished, in a sense, a consensus on certain
things: That Iraq is out of compliance with U.N.
resolutions, that there needs to be (weapon)
inspections, (and) that there can't be sanctions
relief until they've fulfilled their requirements.'' 

-----------------------------

Saturday December 18 7:41 AM ET  
Iraq's Aziz Dismisses U.N. Resolution As Trickery
By Hassan Hafidh  BAGHDAD (Reuters) - 
Iraq's Deputy Prime Minister Tareq Aziz on Saturday
dismissed as trickery a U.N. resolution that could
ease Gulf War sanctions on Iraq if Baghdad cooperated
with a new weapons inspection regime.  ``The
resolution which was adopted yesterday does not meet
Iraq's legitimate right in removing the (U.N.)
embargo,'' Aziz said in a statement carried by the
official Iraqi News Agency INA.  ``The real aim of the
resolution...is not to lift the embargo, rather it is
misleading the public opinion because the trickery
suspension (of sanctions) stated by the American and
British resolution impose a series of complicated,
long and vague conditions,'' Aziz said.  He said that
Iraq had met all its commitments toward the U.N.
resolutions which were passed after the 1991 Gulf War
over Kuwait and it was now time to lift the sanctions
completely.  Aziz also said that the resolution did
not tackle the no-fly zones imposed on Iraq by the
United States and Britain to protect a Kurdish enclave
in the north and Muslim Shi'ites in the south from
possible attacks by Baghdad.  ``It fails to mention
the aggression against Iraq and the daily violations
of its sovereignty as America and Britain impose the
so-called no-fly zones,'' he said.  He hailed China,
France and Russia for abstaining along with Malaysia
from voting but said that his country had hoped they
would use their veto to prevent the resolution. He
criticised Bahrain, Namibia and Brazil for voting in
favor.  ``We were hoping from some permanent members
who had taken a balanced stand from the debate which
lasted for several months to prevent the resolution by
vetoing it, but we appreciate their abstentions,'' he
said.  ``By voting in favor of the decision, Bahrain
has not mirrored the position of most Arab countries,
rather it has acted as a bias to American-British
policy,'' he added.  Aziz said regardless of
speculations and threats, his country was ready to
``defend its sovereignty and bear all results of its
stand (from the resolution).''  The Security Council,
after months of contentious negotiations, adopted by
11 votes to none a resolution on Friday that could
send U.N. weapons inspectors back to Iraq and ease
Gulf War sanctions if Baghdad cooperates with a new
U.N. disarmament agency.  The new resolution sets up a
new arms inspection agency, named the U.N. Monitoring,
Verification and Inspection Commission (UNMOVIC), to
replace the old U.N. Special Commission (UNSCOM)
charged with dismantling Iraq's weapons of mass
destruction.  Iraqi officials have said they would not
allow U.N. weapons inspectors to return to Iraq. They
were withdrawn almost exactly a year ago, shortly
before the United States and Britain launched four
days of air and missile attacks.  The resolution lifts
the cap on how much oil Iraq can sell under the
three-year-old ``oil-for-food'' program, currently set
at $5.26 billion every six months. 

-----------------------------

Saturday December 18 3:28 AM ET 
U.N. Votes To Return Iraq Monitors
By EDITH M. LEDERER Associated Press Writer 
UNITED NATIONS (AP) - After a year of divisive debate,
the Security Council finally has a new U.N. policy on
Iraq. But Iraq's allies on the council are already
saying it's unworkable. 
And with Iraq demanding that U.N. sanctions be lifted
if weapons inspectors return to the country - which
isn't part of the deal - the stage appears set for
more confrontation. 
Britain and the United States had hoped to get all 15
council members behind the resolution in order to send
a unified message to Baghdad that the Security Council
would stand for nothing less than full compliance with
its demands. 
But in Friday's vote only 11 members backed the new
U.N. policy, which is two more than the minimum
required. Russia, China, France and Malaysia
abstained. 
The resolution creates a new inspection agency to
restart monitoring and destruction of Iraq's
biological and chemical weapons, and missiles to
deliver them. And it offers Baghdad the possibility of
having sanctions suspended for renewable periods of
120 days if it cooperates with the weapons inspectors
``in all respects.'' 
``This is a resolution that is mandatory,'' stressed
Britain's U.N. Ambassador Jeremy Greenstock, who
steered the resolution through the council. ``It is
the law of the globe. Under the U.N. Charter, every
member has to implement it. Iraq is a U.N. member.'' 
In the past two weeks, however, Saddam Hussein's
government has rejected the resolution using such
words as ``vicious'' and ``venomous.'' 
China's U.N. Ambassador Qin Huasun said it was
``highly questionable'' whether the resolution could
ever be implemented. 
``As I am sure everyone understands, without Iraqi
cooperation, implementation of any resolution will
hardly be possible,'' he said. ``If Iraq cannot see
any hope at the end of the tunnel by implementing the
resolutions ... how could it be willing and ready to
offer the cooperation we hope for?'' 
The yearlong crisis with Iraq began when U.N. weapons
inspectors departed a day before U.S. and British
warplanes launched airstrikes to punish Baghdad for
its failure to cooperate fully with their inspections.

Calling the resolution's wording ``too ambiguous,''
French Foreign Minister Hubert Vedrine said ``we think
it may give rise to an interpretation allowing some
countries to keep on forever saying that the
cooperation hasn't taken place and that, consequently,
the embargo can't be suspended. That's what we fear.''

His comments appeared to be directed especially at the
United States, which reiterated Friday that it isn't
easing up on its demands for Iraqi disarmament. 
``Today's resolution does not raise the bar on what is
required of Iraq in the area of disarmament - but it
also does not lower it,'' said U.S. deputy ambassador
Peter Burleigh. 
The United States would welcome a favorable response
from Baghdad and cooperation in clearing up
outstanding disarmament issues so the council can
consider suspending sanctions, he said. 
``We are not seeking an excuse to use force,'' he
said. 
But Washington has ``no illusion that the Iraqi regime
is likely to change its spots,'' Burleigh said. 
Regardless of Iraqi cooperation, Secretary-General
Kofi Annan is now authorized by the council to appoint
an executive chairman of the new inspection agency
called the U.N. Monitoring, Verification and
Inspection Commission, or UNMOVIC, within 30 days. 
The resolution also automatically removes the $5.26
billion limit on the amount of oil Baghdad can sell
over six months through the U.N. oil-for-food program
to finance the purchase of food, medicine and other
humanitarian supplies to help ordinary Iraqis cope
with sanctions. 
And Annan is authorized to appoint a special envoy to
try to clear up two key issues stemming from Iraq's
1990 invasion of Kuwait: the fate of more than 600
missing people and third country nations and the
whereabouts of stolen property. 

---------------------

Friday December 17 5:57 PM ET 
U.S. Disappointed With Abstentions
By PAULINE JELINEK Associated Press Writer 
WASHINGTON (AP) - The Clinton administration said it's
disappointed some countries abstained when the U.N.
Security Council voted unanimously Friday to restart
weapons inspections in Iraq, but said the decision
nevertheless would send ``a strong message'' to Iraqi
leader Saddam Hussein. 
Russia, France, China and Malaysia abstained on a
resolution to resume weapons inspections and offer to
suspend sanctions if Baghdad cooperates. It was a
setback to U.S. and British efforts to send Baghdad a
united signal that the Security Council would stand
for nothing less than full compliance with its
demands. 
The resolution passed 11-0, with the four abstentions.
At least nine votes in favor were required for
passage. 
White House spokesman Joe Lockhart said France's
abstention was the biggest disappointment. 
``I think Russia and China have articulated reasons
for their abstentions that speak for themselves,''
Lockhart told reporters. ``We believe it's unfortunate
that France took the position that they did ... given
the fact that they (earlier had) supported the text''
of the resolution. 
But Lockhart portrayed the resolution's passage as a
success, nonetheless. 
``I think the bottom line is there was a strong
majority that sent a strong message to Saddam Hussein
and passed a strong resolution,'' he said. 
The resolution ``puts the onus back on him to decide
on whether he's going to allow the inspectors to come
in; whether he's going to fulfill the disarmament task
that they've laid for them; and whether he's going to
cooperate and comply with the United Nations,''
Lockhart said. 

-----------------------

Friday December 17, 3:50 pm Eastern Time 
Iraqi MP says believes Baghdad rejects UN vote
(Clarifies Douri says was not speaking for government)

By Hassan Hafidh 
BAGHDAD, Dec 17 (Reuters) - A leading Iraqi
parliamentarian said on Friday he believed Iraq would
reject a U.N. resolution that could ease Gulf War
trade sanctions on Iraq if Baghdad cooperated with a
new weapons' inspection commission. 
Khalid al-Douri, head of parliament's Arab and Foreign
Relations Committee, said he was speaking in a
personal capacity and not for the government. 
``Iraq does not accept the new resolution and will not
accept any decision which does not lift the embargo
without any restrictions or conditions,'' he told
Reuters. 
Douri criticised Russia and France for just abstaining
from voting on the resolution. 
``We were hoping that Russia would use its veto power
in order to restore its prestige among world
nations,'' he said. 
``The French stand (in abstaining) is confusing and it
is rather biased to the Americans,'' he said. 
The Security Council, after months of contentious
negotiations, adopted a resolution on Friday that
could send U.N. weapons inspectors back to Iraq and
ease Gulf War sanctions if Baghdad cooperates with a
new U.N. disarmament agency. 
The resolution passed by 11 votes to nil, with
permanent Security Council members Russia, China and
France abstaining, joined by Malaysis. 
Earlier, the Iraqi News Agency INA reported that
President Saddam Hussein met his top aides but it did
not report whether the meeting tackled anything
related to Friday's resolution. 
Iraqi officials and media have repeatedly rejected the
resolution before it was adopted, saying it does not
move Iraq any closer to the lifting of sanctions which
have ruined its economy and infrastructure and damaged
the health and lifestyles of its people. 
``The resolution is cheating and malicious and aiming
at bringing Iraq under imperialist mandate,'' Douri
said. 
The resolution was sponsored by Britain, which holds
this month's council presidency and led many of the
negotiations on the measure. 
Iraqi officials have said they would not allow U.N.
weapons inspectors to return to Iraq, saying they were
American spies. 
The new resolution sets up a new arms inspection
agency, named the U.N. Monitoring, Verification and
Inspection Commission (UNMOVIC), to replace the old
U.N. Special Commission (UNSCOM) charged with
dismantling Iraq's weapons of mass destruction. 
Baghdad has said the new commission is only different
in name from the old UNSCOM, which has not been
allowed in Iraq since last December when the United
States and Britain launched extensive air and missile
raids against the country. 

---------------------------

Friday December 17, 2:59 pm Eastern Time 
FOCUS-France defends U.N. Iraq vote abstention
(New throughout following UN vote, pvs BERLIN) 
PARIS, Dec 17 (Reuters) - France on Friday defended
its decision to abstain from a U.N. Security Council
vote on a resolution to suspend sanctions against
Iraq, saying the text was ambiguous and could lead to
fresh crises with Baghdad. 
The resolution was passed by 11 to 0, with two other
U.N. permanent council members, China and Russia, also
abstaining along with Malaysia. 
The vote could result in U.N. weapons inspectors
returning to Iraq and ease Gulf War sanctions against
the country, so long as it cooperates with a new U.N.
disarmament agency. 
However, France criticised the fact the text did not
spell out exactly what disarmament measures Iraq had
to meet before sanctions were lifted. 
``The text risks causing distorted
interpretations...which could have as an objective an
indefinite delay on any decision over the sanctions.
Such a position could only lead to new crises,'' the
French Foreign Ministry said in a statement. 
The resolution calls for the creation of an arms
inspection agency called the U.N. Monitoring,
Verification and Inspection Commission. U.N.
Secretary-General Kofi Annan has 30 days to appoint an
executive chairman to the body. 
``This could be the occasion to remove the last
ambiguities in the text of the resolution and regain
the unanimity of the council for the full weight of
its authority,'' the Foreign Ministry in Paris said. 
Diplomats have said Paris was caught in a dilemma over
the vote -- wary of upsetting its Western allies by
failing to back the draft resolution but worried about
prospects for its oil firms in Iraq if it angers
Baghdad by supporting the draft. 
The Foreign Ministry said it welcomed the fact
independent arms inspectors might now return to Iraq,
adding that everything must be done to improve ``the
catastrophic humanitarian situation in Iraq'' brought
about by economic sanctions. 
It said it had wanted to see sanctions suspended for a
brief ``probation period,'' but said this idea had
been turned down by some of its U.N. partners. 

-------------------------------

Friday December 17 1:09 PM ET 
UN Council Adopts Critical Resolution on Iraq
By Evelyn Leopold 
UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - The Security Council,
ending months of contentious negotiations, adopted on
Friday a resolution that could send U.N. weapons
inspectors back to Iraq and ease Gulf War sanctions if
it cooperates with a new U.N. disarmament agency. 
The vote was 11-0 vote, with abstentions by permanent
council members China, France and Russia, along with
Malaysia, thereby sending a message to Iraq of
division in the council. The resolution was sponsored
by Britain, which holds this month's council
presidency and led many of the negotiations on the
measure. 
Baghdad, which has long claimed it no longer has any
weapons of mass destruction, has already stated its
rejection of the resolution, presenting the council
with a looming new problem. 
The main issue of contention, that brought the
abstentions, was what Russia, China and France called
the lack of clarity in spelling out exactly which
disarmament measure Iraq had to meet before a
suspension of the sanctions, imposed after Baghdad
invaded Kuwait in August 1990. 
``To put to vote a draft resolution under such
circumstances wherein no consensus is reached after
prolonged consultations will not possibly solve the
age-old Iraq issue,'' China's ambassador Qin Huasun
said. 
But U.S. representative Peter Burleigh, said the
adoption ''marks a profoundly important moment for the
Security Council.'' He said the resolution ``is clear.
It is reasonable. It can be implemented.'' 
U.N. teams hunting down President Saddam Hussein's
chemical, biological and nuclear weapons, and the
ballistic missiles to deliver them, have been barred
from returning to Iraq since being withdrawn almost
exactly a year ago. 
They left shortly before the United States and Britain
launched four days of air and missile attacks in
retaliation for Iraq's failure to cooperate with U.N.
weapons experts. 
The long and detailed council resolution sets up a new
arms inspection agency, called the U.N. Monitoring,
Verification and Inspection Commission, or UNMOVIC, to
replace the old U.N. Special Commission (UNSCOM) that
has been in limbo for most of the past year. 
Secretary-General Kofi Annan must appoint an executive
chairman of UNMOVIC within 30 days. 
An immediate benefit for Iraq is the complete lifting
of the cap on how much oil it is allowed to sell under
the 3-year-old U.N. ``oil for food program,''
currently set at $5.26 billion worth of oil every six
months. 
This enables Iraq to buy food, medicine and other
necessities to help offset the effects of stringent
economic sanctions in force since its August 1990
invasion of Kuwait. 
But Iraq's oil revenues will still be paid into a U.N.
escrow account, from which suppliers will be paid and
about one-third skimmed off to pay Gulf War
reparations and meet other expenses. 
Parts and equipment to upgrade Iraq's oil industry
will also be expedited on the basis of lists drawn up
by a group of experts. A panel is to survey Iraq's oil
industry and recommend long-term improvements that the
Security Council would consider above the current
limit of $300 million every six months. 
The resolution also calls for the immediate
streamlining of procedures for Iraqi imports of
foodstuffs, pharmaceuticals, medical supplies,
agricultural equipment and educational items. 
An easing of sanctions will depend on Iraqi
cooperation with UNMOVIC, once it has been established
and begins functioning. The resolution provides that
if Baghdad cooperates for a test period of 120 days,
it will earn a suspension of sanctions, renewable
every 120 days. 

---------------------------

Thursday December 16 8:09 PM ET 
UN Vote May Lead to Iraq Inspection
By EDITH M. LEDERER Associated Press Writer 
UNITED NATIONS (AP) - For the third time this week,
the Security Council scheduled a vote on a new U.N.
Iraq policy that could restart weapons inspections,
but it was unclear whether French concerns would delay
Friday's vote. 
Britain and the United States have pressed for a vote,
after eight months of negotiations. Britain currently
holds the council presidency and determines its
agenda. 
The vote was scheduled for Monday, but was postponed
to try to address Russian and Chinese concerns. Voting
was delayed again Tuesday because of French concerns. 
France said Wednesday it wanted key ministers
attending a meeting in Berlin this week to clarify
certain points in the resolution so it could be more
easily implemented. 
The foreign ministers of the United States, Britain,
France and Russia - all permanent Security Council
members - are attending the G-8 meeting in Berlin,
along with fellow ministers from Germany, Italy, Japan
and Canada. 
The meeting started Thursday, but U.S. Secretary of
State Madeleine Albright isn't arriving until Friday,
and it was not known whether the four ministers
planned to meet. 
France's U.N. Ambassador Alain Dejammet said Wednesday
the Berlin meeting provided an opportunity to get all
15 council members behind the resolution to send a
united message to Iraq. 
The resolution would resume U.N. weapons inspections,
which stopped a year ago, and offer Iraq the
possibility of having sanctions suspended if it
cooperates with the weapons inspectors. 
Iraq claims it has already disarmed, and demands that
sanctions imposed after its 1990 invasion of Kuwait be
lifted - not suspended - in exchange for allowing
inspectors back in the country. 
The Russians and Chinese want sanctions suspended soon
after Iraq allows inspectors to return, and would not
require Baghdad to complete specific disarmament
tasks. The United States and Britain want Iraqi
answers to questions about its disarmament, and they
want a longer waiting period before sanctions could be
suspended. 
The head of the U.N. humanitarian program in Iraq said
the Security Council should separate Iraq's
humanitarian needs from its disarmament. Sanctions, he
said, had reduced the country's 22 million people to
dire conditions. 
``The situation is so serious that very special
attention has to be paid to the civilian side of the
discussion as distinct from the disarmament
discussion,'' Hans von Sponeck said in an interview
with The Associated Press Television News in Baghdad. 
Washington and London protested when Von Sponeck made
a similar comment last year. 

-----------------------------------

Wednesday December 15 9:39 AM ET 
Iraq Sets New Oil Export Date
By WAIEL FALEH Associated Press Writer 
BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP) - Iraq announced today that it will
resume crude oil exports later this week and
complained of late approval by the U.N. sanctions
committee of oil contracts submitted earlier. 
The exports will be under the U.N. oil-for-food
program, which the Security Council renewed on Friday
for a new six-month term. 
``The operations of oil exports for the seventh phase
of the oil-for-food program will start on Friday or
Saturday,'' the official Iraqi News Agency said,
quoting the Oil Ministry. 
The program, an exception to U.N. economic sanctions,
allows Iraq to sell oil worth $5.2 billion every six
months to buy food and other humanitarian goods. 
Iraq had halted the oil exports to protest a stopgap
two-week extension when the sixth phase of the
humanitarian program ended on Nov. 20. It was extended
again by a week. 
On Sunday, Iraq said it had signed many contracts for
oil exports and submitted them to the sanctions
committee for approval, expecting exports to start
today or Thursday. 
But pending approval of the committee, loading
procedures at Iraq's two oil terminals was held up,
the Oil Ministry was quoted as saying. 
Iraq could export up to 2.4 million barrels a day, but
with current international oil prices it will stick to
the previous rate of about 2.2 million barrels a day. 
Any substantial boost to exports will take place only
when the United Nations scraps the financial cap on
the program. 
Iraq has been working on increasing production
capacity to reach the level it was at before 1990,
when the sanctions were imposed to punish Iraq for
invading Kuwait. 
Russian companies have been digging new wells and
improving some old ones. State-run newspapers reported
that Oil Minister Amer Mohammed Rashid had opened a
new project that adds 70,000 barrels a day to the
900,000 barrels produced daily at the giant Kirkuk
field in northern Iraq. 

-----------------------------------

Tuesday December 14 11:02 PM ET 
Britain Delays UN Vote on Iraq
By NICOLE WINFIELD Associated Press Writer 
UNITED NATIONS (AP) - Britain again delayed a vote
Tuesday on a Security Council resolution that would
return U.N. weapons inspectors to Iraq after France
said it still wasn't satisfied and wanted more time to
negotiate. 
The delay was announced after Britain amended the
resolution to address Russian and Chinese concerns
about the level of Iraqi cooperation with the
inspectors that would be required before U.N.
sanctions could be suspended. 
British Ambassador Jeremy Greenstock, the current
council president, said he welcomed the postponement
if it meant there would be more positive votes when
the text eventually goes before the full 15-member
council. 
``We don't want to close a window if there is the
slightest possibility of maximum consensus,''
Greenstock said in announcing the delay. 
But diplomats said if there is no veto, there will
probably be four abstentions - Russia, China, France
and Malaysia. 
Greenstock didn't say when he would reschedule the
vote, which was originally announced for Monday and
then Tuesday. 
French Ambassador Alain Dejammet suggested a delay of
more than a day would enable the foreign ministers of
the seven major industrial powers and Russia to try to
reach a consensus. The G-8 meeting in Berlin begins
Thursday. 
``Sometimes it's better, yes, to wait for a few hours
if there is the possibility to have something which
will not be right away rejected and later on not
implemented,'' Dejammet said. 
U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan told a news
conference the council faced tremendous hurdles in
actually implementing the resolution. 
``We know the history of the U.N. and Iraq,'' Annan
said. ``I don't expect it to be any easier this time
around after the inspectors have returned. So we
should be prepared for hard and difficult work.'' 
Britain on Monday night revised the text, which had
originally required Iraq to ``fully'' cooperate with
inspectors before crippling sanctions imposed after
Iraq's 1990 invasion of Kuwait could be suspended. 
The revised text circulated Tuesday deletes the word
``fully'' and says instead that Iraq must cooperate
``in all respects'' with the inspectors before a
suspension is approved. 
``It proves that changes are possible,'' Russian
Ambassador Sergey Lavrov told reporters. 
Lavrov said he wasn't completely satisfied with the
text, however, and added that his vote ultimately
would ``depend on the level of my dissatisfaction.'' 
Chen Renfang, spokesman for China's U.N. mission, said
Beijing similarly wanted further changes but felt the
new wording was an improvement. 
The Russians and Chinese want sanctions suspended soon
after Iraq allows inspectors to return, and would not
require Baghdad to complete specific disarmament
tasks. The United States and Britain want Iraqi
answers to outstanding questions about its disarmament
and a longer waiting period. 
U.N. weapons inspectors left Iraq Dec. 16, 1998, just
before the United States and Britain launched
airstrikes to punish Baghdad for failing to cooperate
fully with their efforts. 
Even if the resolution is passed, there still remains
the question of whether Iraq will even allow the
inspectors to return. 
Without mentioning names, Annan described the perfect
candidate to head up the new U.N. inspection agency in
Iraq, saying he would ``look for a personality who
knows about disarmament, a personality who has good
judgment, who has people skills, who can be firm -
firm but correct.'' 
``In effect, I'll probably be looking for somebody
like Rolf Ekeus,'' he said. Ekeus was executive
director of the U.N. Special Commission before he left
in 1997 to become Sweden's ambassador to the United
States. 
Iraq has said inspectors from the U.N. Special
Commission may not return and has demanded sanctions
be lifted. Under previous U.N. resolutions, sanctions
can only be lifted when inspectors report Iraq is free
of its banned weapons. 
-----------------------------


__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Thousands of Stores.  Millions of Products.  All in one place.
Yahoo! Shopping: http://shopping.yahoo.com
--
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
This is a discussion list run by the Campaign Against Sanctions on Iraq
For removal from list, email soc-casi-discuss-request@lists.cam.ac.uk
Full archive and list instructions are available from the CASI website:
http://welcome.to/casi


[Campaign Against Sanctions on Iraq Homepage]