Butler ends Iraqi visit

UN inspection committee chairman Richard Butler finished his visit to Iraq ahead of its scheduled end citing problems in resolving the outstanding issues with Iraqi officials.

Butler said, "We did not make the progress that I hoped for." His mission was to concentrate on the remaining issues between Iraq and the UN committee that had promised Iraq repeatedly that if it comes forward with the facts, the UN committee would wrap its work. One of the outstanding issues was the recent claims by Butler that newly reexamined weapons found at an Iraqi weapons destruction site contained traces of chemical materials. Iraq challenged the accuracy of the finding and insisted that the evidence be examined at outside labs that are viewed as impartial, an effort that was undertaken.

Tariq Aziz, the Iraqi Deputy Foreign Minister said Butler's visit did not bring with it the sought after proof of chemical-weapons use by Iraq that was being investigated in scientific labs. Aziz said, "If you are not able to report the truth and have no evidence to the contrary (that the material did contain chemical materials)" then the UN committee should say so, clearing Iraq of the allegations.

Iraqis view Butler's visits as a tactical play to keep the sanctions on as long as possible, since anything short of a report saying that Iraq has complied with the UN resolutions will prevent the lifting of the sanctions. Deputy Foreign Minister Aziz asked "where is the end to these sanctions?"

Iraq still has legal authority under UN resolutions to manufacture missiles with a range under 150 kilometers, and it is this capability along with the industrial base supported by effective research programs and a scientific base (see first reference) that has the US and others opposed to the lifting of the sanctions, as they foresee a short time before Iraq can rebuild and reconstitute what they consider as regional threats to US and British interests.

Meanwhile, Jordan yesterday called for an end to the U.N. sanctions imposed on Iraq since 1991, Jordan's news agency, Petra, reported. The agency cited Jordanian Foreign Minister Jawad Anani as saying that the sanctions problem is the most outstanding issue that must be solved now. He also called for solving all the problems left over by the Gulf War (1990-91) and said that the sanctions have brought too much suffering to the Iraqi people and should be lifted as soon as possible.

Russia called upon the UN Security Council to release a decision on the implementation of the long-term monitoring plan in Iraq instead of inspection operations. Russia also stressed the realization of a progress in eliminating weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, according to the report released by the UN Security Council on July 29.

Spokesman for the Russian Foreign Ministry said that his country sees no need for not closing the Iraqi nuclear file and then to encourage Iraq to cooperate with the UN so as to close all files as soon as possible and enable the council to discuss the issue of lifting the sanctions imposed on Iraq.