PRESS CONFERENCE BY CHAIRMAN OF SANCTIONS COMMITTEE

15 October 1996

Press Briefing

19961015 FOR INFORMATION OF UNITED NATIONS SECRETARIAT ONLY

The Chairman of the Security Council Committee set up to monitor the sanctions against Iraq, Tono Eitel (Germany), said at a press conference yesterday afternoon that the Secretariat had been in constant contact with the Iraqi Government. He was reporting on the most recent meeting of the Sanctions Committee set up under resolution 661 (1990).

Problems had arisen concerning the number of independent inspection agents in Iraq, particularly with respect to their freedom of movement, Mr. Eitel said. Iraq wanted a one or two weeks' advance notice for inspections, a proposal that was "difficult to accept". Nevertheless, the Secretary-General was confident that all such questions would be resolved.

One question that seemed particularly difficult for Iraq was the oil pricing mechanism to be applied in the implementation of resolution 986 (1995), Mr. Eitel said. The Committee had not yet approved that mechanism and might need to amend it, depending on when the resolution became operative.

[Resolution 986 authorizes States to permit the import of up to $1 billion of Iraqi petroleum and petroleum products every 90 days to meet the Iraqis' humanitarian needs. It also asks the Sanctions Committee to develop expedited procedures for its implementation.]

The Committee had deferred consideration of a request by Turkey for special consideration under Article 50 of the Charter until resolution 986 became operative, Mr. Eitel said. The provisions of that resolution contained several elements which would be positive for Turkey, since a major portion of Iraq's oil exports would be shipped through the Turkish pipeline.

[Article 50 of the Charter states: "If preventive or enforcement measures against any state are taken by the Security Council, any other state, whether a Member of the United Nations or not, which finds itself confronted with special economic problems arising from the carrying out of those measures, shall have the right to consult the Security Council with regard to a solution of those problems."]

Mr. Eitel said the Committee had granted permission to the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to undertake primary health-care service in two Iraqi directorates, asking it to report on those operations after six months. A letter from Switzerland, stating that Iraq's electrical power grid was suffering an acute shortage of spare parts, asked for an exemption regarding such parts. That request, too, was deferred until resolution 986 comes into effect.

Eitel Press Conference - 2 - 15 October 1996

The Committee considered a proposal to rent a transponder band on a Turkish satellite -- a matter which would involve no equipment or spare parts, but only a purchase of services, Mr. Eitel said. The proposal was not adopted, as the rendering of such services was not considered a pressing civilian need.

The Committee considered a request from Iraq for approval of $18 million in expenses beyond the amount to be specified under resolution 986, of which some $4.5 million would be for spare parts for the Iraq-Turkey oil pipeline, Mr. Eitel said. The Committee requested additional information regarding those parts. It also decided that the $18 million should be allocated from the funds to be earned from the sale of oil under resolution 986.

Mr. Eitel drew attention to a request from the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) regarding pest control for screw-worms, which was also considered and approved. The Government of Jordan asked permission to begin regular flights from Amman to Baghdad to transport United Nations personnel, elderly and infirm people, religious pilgrims and foodstuffs. The Committee said it would consider such requests on a case-by-case basis.

A letter from the UNDP regarding a "seed multiplication system" which would cost $1 million was also reviewed, Mr. Eitel said. Thirteen members of the Committee approved, and two others deferred. One requested additional information from Iraq, while another was awaiting instructions from his Government. The Committee also considered a request from the UNDP for the approval of eight consultancies for training in the humanitarian sector, at a cost of $250,000. The proposal was blocked by one delegation.

The Committee also undertook its customary reading of reports from Iraq on malnutrition and mortality, he said.

A correspondent asked for additional information regarding Iraq's request for use of the Turkish satellite. Mr. Eitel said the service was to have been paid for in advance in United States dollars. Asked about the decision to defer certain requests until resolution 986 became operational, he drew a distinction between such deferral and the definitive blocking of requests. Pricing mechanisms, for example, would be contingent upon oil prices prevalent when the oil sales began.

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