DATE=  11/19/97

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

NUMBER=2-222935

TITLE=U-S/IRAQ (L)

BYLINE=DAVID GOLLUST

DATELINE=WHITE HOUSE

CONTENT=

VOICED AT: 



INTRO:  IN WASHINGTON, CLINTON ADMINISTRATION OFFICIALS ARE 

SKEPTICAL ABOUT ANY BREAKTHROUGH ON THE IRAQ CRISIS COMING FROM 

THE EMERGENCY FOUR-POWER MEETING IN GENEVA.  BUT THEY ARE 

DECLINING COMMENT ON THE SUBSTANCE OF THE RUSSIAN INITIATIVE.  

DAVID GOLLUST REPORTS FROM THE WHITE HOUSE.



TEXT:  THE WHITE HOUSE SAYS THAT BY MUTUAL AGREEMENT, THE FOUR 

PARTICIPANTS WILL NOT DISCUSS DETAILS OF THE LATEST DIPLOMATIC 

MOVES UNTIL AFTER THE OVERNIGHT MEETING IN GENEVA.  BUT OFFICIALS

HERE ARE MAKING IT CLEAR THEY HAVE LOW EXPECTATIONS FOR A QUICK 

END TO THE THREE-WEEK-OLD CRISIS.



PRESIDENT CLINTON TOLD A WHITE HOUSE GATHERING ON CHILD ADOPTIONS

THAT ANY DIPLOMATIC SOLUTION TO THE CRISIS MUST BEGIN WITH IRAQ'S

UNCONDITIONAL AGREEMENT TO ALLOW THE U-S WEAPONS INSPECTIONS TO 

GO FORWARD.



                    /// CLINTON ACTUALITY/// 



         IRAQ MUST COMPLY WITH THE UNANIMOUS WILL OF THE 

         INTERNATIOANL COMMUNITY AND LET THE WEAPONS INSPECTORS 

         RESUME THEIR WORK -- TO PREVENT IRAQ FROM DEVELOPING AN 

         ARSENAL OF NUCLEAR, CHEMICAL, AND BIOLOGICAL WEAPONS.  

         THE INSPECTORS MUST BE ABLE TO DO SO WITHOUT 

         INTERFERENCE.  THAT IS OUR TOP LINE.  THAT IS OUR BOTTOM

         LINE.  I WANT TO BE ACHIEVE IT DIPLOMATICALLY.  BUT WE 

         ARE TAKING EVERY STEP TO MAKE SURE WE ARE PREPARED TO 

         PURSUE WHATEVER OPTIONS ARE NECESSARY.  I DO NOT WANT 

         THESE CHILDREN WE ARE TRYING TO PUT IN STABLE HOMES TO 

         GROW UP INTO A WORLD WHERE THEY ARE THREATENED BY 

         TERRORISTS WITH BIOLOGICAL AND CHEMICAL WEAPONS.  

         (APPLAUSE)



                         /// END ACT ///



THE UNITED STATES SIGNALED EARLIER THIS WEEK IF THE INSPECTIONS 

WENT FORWARD, IT WOULD CONSIDER REDUCING THE NUMBER OF AMERICANS 

INVOLVED IN THE GROUND SEARCH, AND ALSO SUPPORT AN INCREASE IN 

THE AMOUNT OF OIL IRAQ CAN SELL UNDER U-N SUPERVISION TO FINANCE 

HUMANITARIAN PROGRAMS. 



BUT IRAQ HAS SPURNED THE NOTION OF AN EXPANDED OIL-FOR-FOOD 

PROGRAM -- PROMPTING WHITE HOUSE SPOKESMAN MIKE MCCURRY TO 

SUGGEST THE IRAQI LEADER IS INCAPABLE OF MAKING THE KIND OF 

CONCESSIONS NEEDED TO END THE U-N SANCTIONS REGIME IN PLACE SINCE

THE END OF THE GULF WAR.



                      /// MCCURRY ACT 2 ///



         IF HE HAS A CHANGE OF HEART AND BEGINS TO COMPLY WITH 

         THE TERMS OF THE RESOLUTIONS, AND BEGINS TO IMPLEMENT 

         THEM, BEGINS TO RESPECT THE RIGHTS OF THE KURDISH 

         POPULATION IN THE NORTH AND THE POPULATIONS IN THE SOUTH

         THAT HE IS GASSED BEFORE, AND DESTROYED THE MARSHLANDS 

         UPON WHICH MANY OF THOSE POPULATIONS LIVED.  IF, IN 

         OTHER WORDS HE BECAME SOMEONE OTHER THAN THE SADDAM 

         HUSSEIN WE HAVE COME TO KNOW AND BEGAN TO IMPLEMENT 

         RELEVANT RESOLUTIONS AND LIVE UP TO HIS INTERNATIONAL 

         OBLIGATIONS, THAT IS THE CONDITION UPON WHICH THE UNITED

         NATIONS COULD VERY EASILY THEN BEGIN TO MOVE AWAY FROM 

         THE SANCTIONS REGIME -- THAT IS JUST NOT WHERE WE ARE AT

         THIS MOMENT, IN FACT WE HAVE GONE THE OTHER DIRECTION.



                         /// END ACT ///



MR. MCCURRY SAID THE ADMINISTRATION HAD NOT BEEN BRIEFED ON THE 

PROPOSED SETTLEMENT RUSSIAN FOREIGN MINISTER YEVGENY PRIMAKOV 

SAID HE HAD WORKED OUT WITH IRAQ ENYOY TARIQ AZIZ -- AND WILL 

HAVE NO SUBSTANTIVE RESPONSE UNTIL SECRETARY OF STATE ALBRIGHT 

HAS REPORTED ON THE GENEVA MEETING EARLY THURSDAY.



THE SECRETARY OF STATE BROKE OFF A SOUTH ASIAN MISSION TO ATTEND 

THE GENEVA MEETING WITH MR. PRIMAKOV AND THEIR BRITISH AND FRENCH

COUNTERPARTS.   (SIGNED)



NEB/RAE



19-Nov-97 2:46 PM EST (1946 UTC)

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Source: Voice of America

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