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S P E C I A L: The Standoff with Iraq U.S. demands access to Saddam Hussein's palaces
American officials say standoff not over
November 23, 1997
Web posted at: 10:37 p.m. EST (0337 GMT)WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The United States is demanding that Iraq allow United Nations weapons inspectors into any site they deem suspect, including President Saddam Hussein's palaces.
U.S. officials also made it clear Sunday that they don't consider the recent standoff with Iraq to be resolved, despite Iraq's recent decision to allow weapons inspectors to return.
"It's not over until I say," said U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright on ABC's "This Week." She added that Hussein's recent actions have "re-energized" the alliance of countries that have been working to contain Iraq since the Persian Gulf War.
U.S. Defense Secretary William Cohen said the United States won't consider the standoff resolved as long as Iraq continues to block access to 63 sites -- which include Hussein's palaces -- to conceal possible caches of outlawed biological and chemical weapons.
"We'll know (it's over) when Saddam Hussein agrees to allow the inspectors unfettered freedom to look at whatever sites they believe are suspect, where he might be carrying out illegal activities," Cohen said on CNN's "Late Edition with Frank Sesno."
But Iraqi Foreign Minister Mohammed Saeed al-Sahhaf rejected Cohen's call for unrestricted access.
"(Inspectors) should avoid coming near sites which are part of Iraq's sovereignty and national security," he told a news conference in Baghdad.
Nizar Hamdoon, Iraq's ambassador to the United Nations, argued that Iraq should be allowed to restrict access to sites "directly related to the president."
"They have to respect the national security, sovereignty and dignity of Iraq," he told CNN.
U.S.: Iraq shouldn't expect easing of sanctions
U.S. officials also stressed that Iraq should not expect to see any easing of economic sanctions imposed after the war as long as it refuses to give inspectors free rein.
Albright also said that, as a result of the recent standoff, Iraq should probably expect sanctions to last longer than they would have otherwise.
"As it turns out, (Hussein) probably will get additional time," she said, because inspectors had to leave for nearly 21 days, making it harder to collect the data necessary to give Iraq a "clean bill of health."
However, Hamdoon said Iraq did not hide or produce chemical or biological weapons during the days when inspectors were not in the country. He said the recent standoff may have helped Iraq's position.
"I think we have gotten a better audience worldwide, and people now understand our decision," he said.
Weapons inspectors complete second day of work
On Sunday, U.N. weapons monitors were back on the job for a second day of inspections.
Nils Carlstrom, the Swede who heads the U.N. monitoring center in the Iraqi capital, said all inspection teams, including a number of U.S. experts, had gone to potential weapons-making facilities.
"We expect everything will be smooth with no problems," said the leader of a team focusing on Iraq's nuclear program. "Yesterday (Saturday) there were no difficulties of any kind."
British Foreign Secretary Robin Cook said on Sunday that reports from Iraq showed that "Hussein is still producing enough anthrax to fill two missiles every week."
However, the Iraqi news agency INA reported that disputed dual-use equipment -- which can be used for both civilian and military purposes -- had been returned to its previous positions, as U.N. weapons inspectors visited the sites Sunday.
Richard Butler, the U.N. chief arms inspector, had warned Iraq against removing the equipment during the standoff with the United Nations, saying the technology might be used to produce weapons prohibited under the terms of the Gulf War cease-fire resolutions.
Butler said that inspection teams would now concentrate on Iraq's suspected stockpiles of VX nerve gas and mustard gas.
Clinton sends Yeltsin information
White House officials say U.S. President Bill Clinton sent Russian President Boris Yeltsin a packet of information said to detail Iraqi violations of U.N. resolutions governing weapons programs.
The information was sent as part of the U.S. effort to maintain sanctions on Iraq. Russia has been pushing to ease sanctions and accelerate the process of certifying Iraq to be in compliance with U.N. resolutions mandating that it dismantle its weapons of mass destruction.
Two U.S. officials told CNN a packet had been forwarded to Russian officials. They declined to discuss its specific contents but said it included surveillance photographs and other intelligence on Iraq's weapons programs.
Correspondents Brent Sadler and John King, Reporter Kathleen Koch and Reuters contributed to this report.
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