IRAQ SAYS CONDITIONS FOR LIFTING SECURITY COUNCIL SANCTIONS MET; UNITED STATES, UNITED KINGDOM, KUWAIT CHALLENGE ASSERTION

2 October 1996

Press Release
GA/9113

IRAQ SAYS CONDITIONS FOR LIFTING SECURITY COUNCIL SANCTIONS MET; UNITED STATES, UNITED KINGDOM, KUWAIT CHALLENGE ASSERTION

19961002 Exchange of Views as General Assembly Opening Debate Continues; Qatar, Uruguay, Guyana, Guinea-Bissau, Venezuela, Togo also Speak

The Foreign Minister of Iraq, Mohammed Said Al-Sahaf, told the General Assembly this afternoon that Iraq had fulfilled all of its obligations under Security Council resolutions and had met the conditions for the lifting of sanctions.

Iraq retained no weapons prohibited by the Security Council, or components of such weapons or any relevant documents, the Foreign Minister said, as the Assembly continued its opening debate. However, the Security Council had not carried out its corresponding obligations under those resolutions. In addition, he said, although the dialogue between the United Nations and Iraq had led to an agreement on the "oil-for-food" formula, the United States had erected hurdles to the agreement's finalization and delayed its implementation.

In exercise of their right of reply to the Iraqi statement, the representatives of the United Kingdom and the United States said the Foreign Minister's claims were not credible. The representative of the United States added that Iraq bore sole responsibility for delays in the "oil-for-food" negotiations. Regarding implementation of that agreement, he said that if Iraq had not taken military actions in northern Iraq which caused the deterioration of the security situation, Iraqi oil would be flowing today and humanitarian assistance would be available.

The representative of the United Kingdom said new information and additional investigations had intensified suspicions that Iraq was hiding elements of its chemical and nuclear weapons programmes. The representative of Kuwait said that until Kuwaiti prisoners of war and detainees, as well as Kuwaiti property, were returned, Iraq would not be in compliance with the Security Council demands.

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Also during this afternoon's general debate, some speakers called for renewed international efforts in support of development. The Minister for Foreign Affairs of Guyana, Clement Rohee, said that interdependence and globalization alone could not form the basis of a global partnership for peace and development. He said the new global partnership would require that developing countries accept primary responsibility for their development and good governance, while the developed countries commit to creating an economic environment which would support development.

Freedom of trade was one of the cornerstones of world economic development, said the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Uruguay, Alvaro Ramos Trigo. None the less, developed countries must reverse the trend of declining official development assistance (ODA) and provide resources needed to fight poverty and underdevelopment.

Statements were also made by the Foreign Ministers of Qatar, Guinea- Bissau, Venezuela and Togo.

The representative of Iraq spoke in exercise of the right of reply.

The Assembly will meet again at 10 a.m. tomorrow, 3 October, to continue its general debate.

Assembly Work Programme

The Assembly met this afternoon to continue its general debate by hearing statements by the Foreign Ministers of Qatar, Uruguay, Guyana, Guinea- Bissau, Venezuela, Togo and Iraq.

Statements

HAMAD BIN JASSEM BIN JABR AL-THANI, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Qatar, said the vital role of the United Nations could not be overestimated. None the less, the General Assembly must be revitalized in a manner to enhance its credibility. The Security Council must be revamped to better reflect economic realities and to achieve equal geographic representation. Cooperation between regional organizations and the United Nations should be increased, in support of international peace and security.

Disarmament could be achieved only by curbing the arms race and the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, he said. He called upon Israel to become party to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) and turn over its nuclear facilities to international supervision.

Peace and security in the Persian Gulf region was vital, and Qatar was working to build good relations with all its neighbours, he continued. It supported attempts to find a solution to the dispute between the United Arab Emirates and Iran over the islands of Greater Tunb, Lesser Tunb ad Abu Moussa. He welcomed the agreement signed by Yemen and Eritrea which had settled the dispute between those countries peacefully. Qatar expressed its sympathy with the Iraqi people, who were suffering under the imposition of international sanctions. He welcomed the "oil-for-food" agreement between Iraq and the United Nations and called for its implementation. The territorial integrity of Iraq must be protected, while Iraq must fully comply with all United Nations resolutions.

He said that Qatar, along with other Arab States, had called for a full withdrawal of Israeli troops from all occupied Arab territories, including the Syrian Golan, under the "land-for-peace" formula. The United States and the Russian Federation -- co-sponsors of the Madrid peace process -- and the international community must support the peace process, while providing economic assistance to the Palestinian territories.

Israeli settlement activities should cease, as should attempts to change the demographic composition of Jerusalem, he continued. Recent activities of the Israeli Government threatened to freeze the peace process. The Israeli Government should reconsider its position in order to support the establishment of a lasting peace in the Middle East. He called on all parties to continue negotiations. His Government supported any international efforts to fight international terrorism. However, the resistance to occupation and oppression should not be stigmatized as terrorism, since such actions were taken in pursuit of international rights.

ALVARO RAMOS-TRIGO, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Uruguay, said

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"globalization" was the term that best described the present international system, in the aftermath of the cold war. It had, however, been accompanied by fragmentation, arising from emergence of non-State entities, including networks of non-governmental organizations, multinational political movements, non-assimilated ethnic groups and religious movements that transcended frontiers. He noted that membership had increased fivefold since the founding of the United Nations.

He said Uruguay believed that in the structure of the Security Council, there was a need for greater transparency and democratization, as well as for a more equitable geographical distribution in its composition.

Freedom of trade was one of the cornerstones of world economic development, he said, but Uruguay could not endorse unilateral efforts to attempt to give effect to the extraterritorial application of domestic legislation. It also opposed the unilateral application, for political purposes, of measures of an economic, trade or financial nature against a State.

He recalled that developed countries had undertaken to allocate at least 0.7 per cent of their gross domestic product (GDP) for development assistance, adding that the trend in contributions had been downward. Those resources were needed in the constant fight against poverty and underdevelopment.

He stressed the importance of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT), which Uruguay had signed, and his country's opposition to anti-personnel land- mines. Uruguayan contingents assigned to peace-keeping missions in Angola, Mozambique and Western Sahara had been among the many victims of those weapons, he added.

CLEMENT ROHEE, Foreign Minister of Guyana, said the proliferation of conflicts, both old and new, continued to sap the collective strength of the international community. The United Nations was increasingly required to go beyond traditional peacemaking and peace-keeping to the practice of preventive diplomacy. Classical approaches to conflict resolution might have to be supplemented by new and imaginative ideas.

A more democratic Security Council would command the respect and enjoy the confidence of Member States, he said. In time, States might be persuaded to rely less on their own costly defence forces and more on the collective security system provided by the Organization. It was also necessary to strengthen the partnership against all proliferation of all lethal weapons, both nuclear and conventional. Conventional weapons were being sent to developing countries, where they fuelled tensions and conflict. Such transfers must be monitored closely, and a serious attempt made to convert the arms industry to development purposes.

The Mid-term Review of the New Agenda for the Development of Africa in the 1990s gave reason for hope that Africa's predicament could be overcome through improved cooperation between African States and the international community, he said. The political will had not yet been found to reach

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agreement on an agenda for development. Nevertheless, the growing interdependence among States and the globalization of the world economy form the basis for a global partnership for peace and development.

The new global partnership would require that the developing countries accept primary responsibility for their development and for good governance, he said. The developed countries would commit themselves to supporting those efforts and helping to create an international economic environment conducive to their success. There should be a cancellation of debt for the least developed countries, a significant reduction in multilateral debt and a reduction in the remaining debt stock to sustainable levels for the other developing countries.

He said the developed countries should meet the target of 0.7 per cent of gross national product official development assistance and introduce measures to stabilize the international monetary system and financial markets. A fair and equitable trading system must be established. Conditions attached to future financial transfers should be reduced and relaxed. Emphasis should be placed on expanding production and growth for sustainable development. The social sector should be developed with emphasis on education, human resources, health and the development needs of women, children and indigenous peoples.

FERNANDO DELFIM DA SILVA, Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Guinean Communities of Guinea-Bissau, said a large part of the world's population living without peace, security and well-being still placed its trust in the United Nations. The challenges facing the Organization were unprecedented, and its revitalization thus took on an added importance. The reform proposals of the African Group, and of Italy, especially with regard to the Security Council, should be given serious consideration.

Despite the ongoing efforts of the United Nations, peace and stability were still only a dream in many areas of the world; fratricidal conflicts had turned entire populations into innocent victims. Angola, Rwanda, Liberia and Somalia were all tragic examples of such violence. The efforts under way on behalf of the peace process in Angola were laudable, and the obstacles standing in the way of the Lusaka agreements must be overcome. The conflict in Liberia had adversely affected the other countries of the subregion. The situation prevailing in the countries of the Great Lakes region was of great concern, particularly in Burundi. He expressed support for the efforts of the Organization of African Unity (OAU) to avoid a repetition of the tragedy in Rwanda.

Turning to other international issues, he said the Republic of China and its 21 million people should be given some international status before the question of reunification was resolved. On the Middle East, he said any lasting solution had to recognize the rights of self-determination of the Palestinian people, the establishment of a Palestinian State and the right of all States, including Israel, to live in peace and security in the region. In Europe, the holding of elections in Bosnia and Herzegovina was a positive step and should lead the way to the rebuilding of the country.

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Poverty and hungry affected a great number of people living in developing countries, he went on. International peace and security hinged on the collective struggle waged against all factors which compelled so much of the world's population to live in abject poverty. The debt burden was critical and forced many poorer countries to become capital exporters. His Government continued to apply programmes of structural adjustment. Additional support from the international community should supplement those efforts. With its development partners, Guinea-Bissau had developed a plan for sustainable development. The mission of the United Nations was to find global solutions to the crises facing the world community.

MIGUEL ANGEL BURELLI RIVAS, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Venezuela said his country was committed to the great causes of the time: the enforcement of human rights, truly representative democracy, integration as an economic and political culture, and disarmament. Tomorrow, it would sign the CTBT.

He hoped for success by the United Nations in the area of human rights, the fight against terrorism, the extermination of drug trafficking and allied activities. Referring to the controversy between his country and Guyana, alluded to in the Secretary-General's report last year, he said the two parties, inspired by the spirit of dialogue and cooperation, were now applying one of the mechanisms for the peaceful settlement of disputes provided for in the United Nations Charter.

Discussing regional conflicts, he said that at the very centre of Europe -- "the most cultured continent" -- there had been war and genocide that would have been angrily condemned in Cambodia or in Rwanda. Among countries that have given the world lessons in tolerance and coexistence for centuries, the faithful of religions that were almost identical had "confronted and exterminated each other day after day."

He said for more than two generations Venezuelans had relied exclusively on oil -- "ignoring personal effort." At times, the State had encouraged that dependency and "exaggerated the nurture of idleness". That was the reason for the "so-called Venezuelan crisis", different from others in that it was not economic but moral. It could be solved only by a return to honest behaviour and personal exertion that required a great deal of time and effort. President Rafael Caldera was now incorporating market economy values.

Democracy had taken root in Latin America, he said, but Venezuela was far from satisfied because democracy must signify "the eradication of secular ills and not be just a system to elect governments". Venezuela, he added, hoped for a democracy transparent in its conduct and efficient in its achievements to continue as an alternative to dictatorship. He proposed a convention against corruption at the hemispheric level.

KOFFI PANOU, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Cooperation of Togo, told the Assembly that conflicts, terrorism and the weight of the foreign debt problem continued to weaken the development of many countries, especially in Africa. Togo was involved in consolidating the rule of law while facing the

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challenges of sustainable human development. The process of democratization had been under way for three years and was evolving normally, with the partial elections of last August confirming that Togo was on the path of democracy, peace and political stability.

He said the Government deplored the ongoing conflicts in Liberia, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Burundi and Angola. He welcomed the courageous measures taken by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) on Liberia and congratulated the Secretary-General for his good offices with respect to the conflict over the Bakassi Peninsula. Tensions had been reduced while the countries concerned -- Nigeria, Cameroon and Togo -- awaited the decision of the International Court of Justice.

The President of Togo had proposed to the OAU establishment of an inter- African peace-keeping force, he said. Conflict-prevention also required strengthening the Regional Centre for Peace and Disarmament in Africa, which was headquartered in Togo. The Centre must be given the necessary financial resources to carry out its mandate.

On economic matters, he said Africa should stop being considered solely as a reservoir of basic goods. African States should be competitive at an international level and face the challenge of industrial development. That would require technical and financial support from developed countries. Africa itself should accelerate the process of industrialization. Togo welcomed the Secretary General's initiative on Africa.

He stressed that urgent measures were needed to ensure the financial stability of the United Nations. Improving its efficiency was desirable. Also desirable would be its further democratization, which should include making the Security Council more representative by increasing its members and making it more transparent.

MOHAMMED SAID AL-SAHAF, Foreign Minister of Iraq, said that during recent weeks the United States had subjected Iraq to missile attacks, and undertaken an intensive military build-up, on the pretext of Iraqi violations of Security Council resolutions. However, he continued, Iraq had not taken any action contrary to the Charter or Council resolutions which could justify the United States military aggression against it. Iraq had conducted military movements within its internationally recognized border, at the request of the main Kurdish faction, in order to repel military aggression on the part of another faction in alliance with a neighbouring country. However, the United States had used those developments as a pretext for missile attacks. Also, the imposition of the "no-fly" zone violated the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Iraq. Recently, the United States and the United Kingdom had expanded the "no-fly" zone, claiming that its aim was the protection of United States strategic interests in the region. He questioned whether the imposition of such a situation by one State upon another was consistent with international law.

All the allegations and pretexts put forward by the United States to justify its attacks and military build-up against Iraq had no justification in

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international law, fact or legitimacy, he continued. Those actions should be deplored and condemned. Iraq demanded that the United Nations, the General Assembly and the Security Council reject actions devoid of international legitimacy and without Security Council authorization.

He said the total blockade of Iraq had had serious human consequences. Although dialogue between Iraq and the United Nations had led to an agreement on the "oil-for-food" formula, the United States had erected hurdles to delay the finalization of the memorandum of understanding between his Government and the United Nations. The memorandum remained to be implemented. Iraq was only demanding its right, which was guaranteed by all international covenants and customs.

While Iraq had fulfilled its obligations under Council resolutions and met the condition for the of lifting sanctions, the Council had not carried out its corresponding obligations under those resolutions, he said. Rather, the Council had abdicated its supervision of the implementation of its resolutions to its Special Commission, which alone retained the responsibility of determining whether Iraq had fulfilled its obligations and if sanctions should be lifted. Iraq retained no prohibited weapons or components of such weapons. What the Special Commission had been reporting regarding Iraq's concealment of prohibited weapons, weapons components or documents was based on suspicions and was not supported by material evidence emanating from the United States and United Kingdom intelligence services.

He said Iraq demanded that the permanent members of the Security Council and Egypt -- as the Arab representative on the Council -- participate in the activities of the Special Commission, the evaluation of its work and the determination of its conclusions. With that participation, Iraq was certain that a conclusion would soon be reached.

Rights of Reply

Responding to the statement of the Foreign Minister of Iraq, EDWARD W. GNEHM (United States) said the character of the Iraqi regime was well known. It was the only regime which had used chemical weapons against its own people and threatened its neighbours with those weapons. By its actions, Iraq had placed itself outside the law-abiding family of nations.

The most vital obligation that Iraq must fulfil was compliance with resolution 687 (1991), which banned Iraq from possessing weapons of mass destruction, he said. The statement of Iraq that it had fully complied with Security Council resolutions was not credible. However, the Foreign Minister had been correct in stating that the Special Commission alone could determine Iraqi compliance, the same Special Commission which continued to report that Iraq retained possession of mass destruction and related documents. Not a single Council member had found Iraq's claim credible. Iraq had spoken several times about closing the "weapons file" but it was no closer than it had been in years past to closing that file. That would happen only when Iraq cooperated with the Special Commission and complied with all Council resolutions. Nor had Iraq said it would not attempt to obtain weapons of mass

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destruction in the future.

Regarding the "oil-for-food" negotiations, he said Iraq bore sole responsibility for delays. Also, the Secretariat had informed Iraq in August that implementation of the agreement would begin in September. By today, Iraqi oil could have been flowing and humanitarian assistance delivered had not Iraq taken military actions in late August which caused a serious deterioration of the security situation. The United States cared about the well-being of the Iraqi people far more than did the well-fed Iraqi leadership.

MOHAMMAD A. ABULHASAN (Kuwait) said he wished to comment on Iraq's statement that it had fulfilled all of its obligations under Security Council resolution, and that all justification for continued sanctions had been removed. That claim was not founded on reality and it had not been believed by the Security Council, which, every 60 days, unanimously agreed that Iraq had not fulfilled its obligations.

Kuwaiti prisoners of war and detainees had not yet been returned, he said. Serious and full cooperation on the part of Iraq with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) was necessary. Nor had Kuwait's stolen property been returned. He called upon Iraq to fulfil all its obligations under Council resolutions, which would allow sanctions to be lifted.

STEPHEN GOMERSAL (United Kingdom) said the version of events heard from the Foreign Minister of Iraq was simply "staggering", as was the indifference of the Iraqi Government towards its own people. The Foreign Minister had laid the blame at the door of others. The Iraqi Government knew what it needed to do to remove the sanctions and had simply refused, with the consequent suffering of its people. As the representative of Kuwait had said, the word "Kuwait" was not even mentioned in his statement, despite resolution 687 referring specifically to such matters as missing civilians, Kuwaiti property and other matters.

The Foreign Minister also apparently forgot to mention that the sanctions remained in place because of its nuclear and chemical weapons programme, in spite of the fact that, judging from the reports of UNSCOM, the truth was very apparent. New information, further investigations and further obstructions had intensified suspicion that the Iraqi regime was hiding elements of its programmes and stretching its credibility. The Foreign Minister had also implied that the suffering of the Iraqi people was the fault of others. Mr. Gomersal said the offer of food-for-oil was first made in 1991. Resolution 986 was finally passed in 1995 and it would have been implemented by now, had the attack in northern Iraq not occurred. Resolution 986 would be implemented as soon as the Secretary-General was assured of the security of the situation there. The sanctions would remain in place until the resolutions had been duly fulfilled.

SAEED H. HASSAN (Iraq), responding to the right of reply by the United States, said some of the "gravest crimes against humanity" had been

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perpetrated by the United States. Had the United States Representative forgotten Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Viet Nam, Palestine, Latin America, Cuba and other regions? he asked. There had also been aggressions against Iraq and its infrastructure, under the pretext of liberating Kuwait, and the aggression of less than a month ago when missiles were used against Iraq. Who had authorized that action? Where, in that case, was the international machinery to preserve the law? The United States would have to answer all these questions, he said, before it claimed itself an advocate of freedom. The Representative of the United States claimed there was instability in northern Iraq. Where was the logic to that? Was it the preservation of security? He said "thousands of agents and terrorists" had been mobilized to wage a civil war in Iraq; those who believed in the rule of law did not try to wage civil wars. It was contrary to the laws the United States claimed to uphold. Iraq was bewildered by the long statement made by Kuwait, for which this was not the appropriate forum.

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