IRAQ: BAGHDAD: UN WEAPONS CHIEF RICHARD BUTLER VISIT UPDATE

Описание: (12 Dec 1997) English/Nat

The U-N chief weapons inspector said on Friday that his team should be allowed to go everywhere in Iraq in their search for banned arms.

And that includes presidential property.

Richard Butler is on his first visit to Baghdad since the Iraqi government expelled American members of the U-N team.

During a four day visit, Richard Butler faces the tough task of convincing the Iraqi government that U-N inspectors should be allowed into President Saddam Hussein's palaces.

Iraq has placed the numerous palaces of President Hussein and scores of other sites which it calls 'sensitive' off limits to U-N arms monitors.

It's the first visit by Butler to Iraq since last month's stand off when Baghdad expelled American members of U-N inspection teams.

They were allowed back under a Russian-brokered deal.

SOUNDBITE: (English)
'And as you all know in the intervening time there has been a crisis. Our aim, in co-operation with Iraq is to try and bring that crisis to an end.'
SUPER CAPTION: Richard Butler, UN Chief Weapons Inspector

A pro-Iraqi government daily editorial has accused Butler of speaking for Washington rather than the U-N Special Commission charged with supervising the destruction of Iraq's weapons of mass destruction.

However Butler reaffirmed at the press conference that he was there on behalf of the U-N and not the U-S.

He said his team must have full access to Iraqi sites but would work with objectivity and respect for the country's national security.

SOUNDBITE: (English)
'Ironing out the difficulties in a way that guarantees the access which it must have but which also shows appropriate regard to Iraq's concerns, legitimate concerns of national security and sovereignty.'
SUPER CAPTION: Richard Butler, UN Chief Weapons Inspector

Butler said he believed that one side of the crisis with Iraq was now over.

However he said tension would continue as long as Iraq insisted on barring U-N arms monitors from entering certain sites.

SOUNDBITE: (English)
'I do not have any doubt that the Council will not give up. What is at issue here is important for Iraq, important for the Middle East region and many would say important for the kind of world that we are trying to build in the 21st century - a world that will not be characterised by the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. But if as I earnestly hope is not the case - there were to be a negative answer out of this moment - defining or not - then it would be up to the Council to decide what other steps might have to be considered. '
SUPER CAPTION: Richard Butler, UN Chief Weapons Inspector

The issue of access is likely to remain top of the agenda during discussions with senior Iraqi officials over the next four days.

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