|
U.N. to vote on scaled-back Iraq resolution
U.S., Britain at odds with Russia, France
October 23, 1997
Web posted at: 8:16 a.m. EDT (1216 GMT)UNITED NATIONS (CNN) -- The Security Council on Thursday was expected to express its "firm intention" to impose new, future sanctions on Iraq after the United States and Britain gave up efforts to put travel bans in place immediately.
At issue are proposals to prevent travel abroad by all Iraqi officials responsible for blocking several U.N. weapons inspection teams attempting to determine whether Baghdad has ended efforts to build weapons of mass destruction.
But despite compromises by the United States and Britain, it was still unclear if Russia and France would back the new measures, scheduled for a vote in the 15-member body.
Both Russian and French diplomats said Iraq was receiving little credit for the progress it had made in dismantling its nuclear, ballistic missiles, chemical and biological weapons.
Both Russia and France are negotiating oil exploration deals with Iraq.
What the new sanctions would do
The new resolution is stronger than a similar one adopted by the Security Council in June. But it is weaker than earlier U.S.-British proposals on instituting the travel bans.
Specifically, the resolution:
- Requires U.N. arms officials to draw up a list of Iraqis who have interfered with inspections or helicopter flights of U.N. arms experts since June.
- Threatens to impose the travel ban against names on the list whenever the chief arms inspector, Richard Butler of Australia, reports to the council that his teams have been barred from any sites.
- Continues the suspension of the council's regular review of trade sanctions until next April. This means that no easing of the stringent trade embargoes imposed on Iraq in 1990 could even be considered until then.
The bans would bar travel abroad by certain Iraqi civilian and military officials responsible for interfering with inspections except for diplomatic purposes or with the permission of the council's sanctions committee.
But any travel sanctions would require another Security Council vote before they could go into effect, as France and Russia, supported by China, Egypt and Kenya, have insisted.
Stringent trade sanctions were imposed on Iraq after it invaded Kuwait in 1990. The disarmament program was instituted as part of a 1991 Gulf War cease-fire resolution.
Scrapping Iraq's nuclear, ballistic, chemical and biological arms and making sure they are not re-acquired is the key requirement for lifting sanctions on exports, such as oil.
The latest controversy arose when inspectors in June were stopped from surveying several sensitive sites.
Last month Butler reported five more complaints of blocked inspections. He also reported progress in eliminating ballistic missiles and chemical weapons but said data was extremely vague on Iraq's germ warfare program.
Reuters contributed to this report.
Related stories:
- Saddam's son on hand to cheer father's rule - October 16, 1997
- U.N. approves Iraqi 'food-for-oil' plan - August 4, 1997
Related sites:
Note: Pages will open in a new browser window
- Iraq - ArabNet
- Iraq - Consular Information Sheet - U.S. State Dept.
- Desert-Storm.com
External sites are not endorsed by CNN Interactive.
Or find any book
in print by keyword:
Sound off on our message boards
You said it...
© 1997 Cable News Network, Inc.
All Rights Reserved.Terms under which this service is provided to you.