DATE=  11/19/97

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

NUMBER=2-222949

TITLE=IRAQ WEAPONS SUMMARY (L ONLY)

BYLINE=ELAINE JOHANSON

DATELINE=UNITED NATIONS

CONTENT=

VOICED AT: 



INTRO:  WEAPONS EXPERTS FROM THE UNITED NATIONS SPECIAL 

COMMISSION DISARMING IRAQ SAY ONE OF THE MOST CRITICAL PROBLEMS 

THEY FACE AT THE MOMENT IS PERSUADING IRAQ TO LET INSPECTORS INTO

SO-CALLED SENSITIVE SITES WHERE BAGHDAD MAY BE HIDING BANNED 

MATERIAL.  THE EXPERTS -- LED BY COMMISSION CHAIRMAN RICHARD 

BUTLER -- PRESENTED THE SECURITY COUNCIL WEDNESDAY WITH A  

TECHNICAL UPDATE OF THEIR WORK.  V-O-A'S CORRESPONDENT ELAINE 

JOHANSON REPORTS:  



TEXT:  THE SPECIAL COMMISSION EXPERTS SAY THEY BELIEVE -- UNTIL 

THEY CAN PROVE OTHERWISE -- THAT IRAQ STILL HAS SIGNIFICANT 

STORES OF BIOLOGICAL AND CHEMICAL WEAPONS MATERIAL.  AND THEY 

CANNOT SAY FOR SURE WHETHER IRAQ HAS THE CAPABILITY OF TURNING 

SHORT-RANGE MISSILES PERMITTED UNDER U-N RESOLUTIONS INTO 

LONG-RANGE WEAPONS THAT ARE BANNED.



THE EXPERTS DESCRIBED TO THE SECURITY COUNCIL A SYSTEMATIC 

PRACTICE BY IRAQ OF DECEPTION AND CONCEALMENT.  THEY SAY BAGHDAD 

HAS IN PLACE A FORMAL MECHANISM FOR HIDING MATERIAL FROM THE 

INSPECTORS THAT EMPLOYS THOUSANDS OF IRAQIS FROM VARIOUS 

ORGANIZATIONS, EVEN INCLUDING THE OFFICE OF PRESIDENT SADDAM 

HUSSEIN.



AS THE EXPERTS EXPLAINED,  THE IRAQIS HAVE COMMISSION ACTIVITES 

UNDER HEAVY SURVEILLANCE.  WHEN IRAQ BLOCKS THE INSPECTORS FROM 

CERTAIN SITES, PHOTOGRAPHS SHOW IMMEDIATE MOVEMENT OF CONVOYS 

FROM THE AREA.  THE EXPERTS SAY THEY HAVE FURTHER EVIDENCE TO 

PROVE THE CONVOYS ARE CARRYING BANNED ITEMS.



CHIEF INSPECTOR RICHARD BUTLER SAYS  HE WANTS TO BRING THE 

INSPECTIONS TO AN END AS SOON AS POSSIBLE  BUT HE FIRST NEEDS 

IMMEDIATE ACCESS TO ALL SITES ON DEMAND:



                         //BUTLER ACT//



         LET US IN TO SOME OF THOSE PLACES WHERE YOU MAY HAVE 

         HIDDEN STUFF.  OR IF YOU HAVEN'T, IF WE CAN GO IN WE CAN

         VERIFY YOU HAVEN'T HIDDEN STUFF.  JUST LET US IN.  

         THAT'S ALL WE'RE ASKING.  IT'S NOT ILL WILL TOWARDS 

         THEM.  WE'RE AS SICK OF THE JOB, I GUESS, AS THEY ARE.  

         IT'S BEEN TOO LONG.



                           //END ACT//



MOST OF THIS INFORMATION THE COUNCIL RECEIVED IS NOT NEW.  BUT IT

WAS RENDERED MORE DRAMATIC AND PERHAPS BETTER UNDERSTOOD BY WHAT 

DIPLOMATS SAY WAS A CLEAR PRESENTATION OF HIGHLY TECHNICAL 

ISSUES. 



THE EMPHASIS ON IRAQ'S CONCEALMENT POLICY COMES AT A SENSITIVE 

TIME.  THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY IS WORKING HARD ON A POLITICAL

SOLUTION TO THE CRISIS THAT EMERGED WHEN IRAQ BANNED AMERICANS 

FROM U-N INSPECTION TEAMS.  BUT COMMISSION CHAIRMAN BUTLER SAYS 

MORE INFORMATION CAN ONLY HELP:



                         //BUTLER ACT//



         THE COUNCIL WELCOMED THESE REPORTS.  AROUND THE 

         TABLE...TO A PERSON..EVERYONE SAID THESE HAD BEEN 

         IMMENSELY VALUABLE REPORTS THAT HELPED THE COUNCIL SEE 

         HOW MUCH HAS BEEN ACHIEVED AND WHAT NOW NEEDS TO BE 

         ACHIEVED TO BRING THIS TO AN END.



                           //END ACT//



U-N INSPECTORS HAVE MADE A LOT OF PROGRESS IN DISARMING IRAQ 

SINCE 1991.  BUT THEY SAY THE REMAINING GAPS ARE SIGNIFICANT.   

BAGHDAD, FOR EXAMPLE, HAS SECRETLY DESTROYED TONS OF BANNED 

CHEMICAL MATERIAL -- WHICH THE SPECIAL COMMISSION NEEDS TO VERIFY

BEFORE IT DECLARES THE DANGER OVER.



IN THE BALANCE HANGS IRAQ'S DEMAND FOR AN END TO THE ECONOMIC 

EMBARGO IMPOSED AFTER IT INVADED KUWAIT IN 1990.  THE SECURITY 

COUNCIL WANTS A CLEAN BILL OF HEALTH ON THE WEAPONS ISSUE BEFORE 

IT CONSIDERS EASING THE SANCTIONS. (SIGNED) 







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19-Nov-97 9:01 PM EST (0201 UTC)

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Source: Voice of America

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