US: Iraq has blocked at least three inspections
Iraq, Politics, 12/15/1998

State department spokesman James Foley said today about the UNSCOM report submitted to the UN about Iraqi compliance "I would note that Iraq has blocked at least three inspections in recent days: first, a site belonging to an Iranian opposition group; second the -- Baath Party Headquarters, and third, a CW inspection last Friday, December 11. Iraq also delayed a BW inspection team from beginning its work on Friday, December 4. All of these incidents are simply unacceptable"We will oppose the lifting of sanctions, absent Iraqi compliance with all of Iraq's obligations under all the relevant UN Security Council resolutions. Of course, the question of the day or the week that you've been asking me has had more to do with the question of a comprehensive review. That issue is more closely tied to the specific question of Iraqi compliance with UNSCOM and the IAEA; and our assessment will at least be informed by those reports by the IAEA and Chairman Butler.Foley spoke of US efforts to topple the Iraqi government saying "This is an effort on the part of the United States to assist the Iraqi opposition to become more cohesive, to become a more viable and effective alternative to Saddam Hussein. We've never said this was going to be an easy challenge that we would expect -- we've never said that we would expect to help effect change in Iraq overnight. But we want to allow those opposition forces to put themselves in a better position to provide the Iraqi people with an alternative to a regime which has done nothing but terrible harm to the interests of the Iraqi people."He added "The United States does not believe it requires international approval to assist democratic forces, especially in a country that's been so ill-governed as Saddam Hussein's Iraq, especially in relation to a regime which has visited terror not only on its people but on its neighbors. But let me hasten to add, though, that what we're not talking about here is a US effort as such to unilaterally affect change in Iraq. What we are attempting to do is to help Iraqis help themselves to better offer an alternative to the current regime in Iraq."Foley commented about the UNSCOM report that "The immediate purpose of a Security Council meeting to assess Chairman Butler and the IAEA's reports will be to determine whether or not there's a basis for proceeding with a comprehensive review of sanctions. The other question that you raised, I can only say that all options are on the table, including the military option, as far as the United States is concerned. That is not an issue that, in our view, requires debate or let alone determination in the Security Council. Secretary Albright the other day made it crystal-clear that as far as we're concerned, diplomacy is no longer necessary and warnings are not necessary, either."

Previous Stories:
  UNSCOM resumes surprise inspections in Iraq   (12/14/1998)
  Baghdad prevents inspections at Baath party headquarters   (12/11/1998)
  UN chief statements on Iraq   (12/9/1998)

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