[House Document 105-52]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]




105th Congress, 1st Session - - - - - - - - - - - House Document 105-52


 
                            STATUS ON IRAQ

                               __________

                             COMMUNICATION

                                  from

                   THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES

                              transmitting

           A REPORT ON THE STATUS OF EFFORTS TO OBTAIN IRAQ'S
             COMPLIANCE WITH THE RESOLUTIONS ADOPTED BY THE
           U.N. SECURITY COUNCIL, PURSUANT TO PUB. L. 102-1,
                          SEC. 3 (105 STAT. 4)




 March 10, 1997.--Referred to the Committee on International Relations 
                       and ordered to be printed


                                           The White House,
                                     Washington, DC, March 7, 1997.
Hon. Newt Gingrich,
Speaker of the House of Representatives,
Washington, DC.
    Dear Mr. Speaker: Consistent with the Authorization for Use 
of Military Force Against Iraq Resolution (Public Law 102-1) 
and as part of my effort to keep the Congress fully informed, I 
am reporting on the status of efforts to obtain Iraq's 
compliance with the resolutions adopted by the United Nations 
Security Council (UNSC). This report covers the period from 
January 7 to the present.
    Saddam Hussein remains a threat to his people and the 
region. The United States successfully responded to the 
increased threat resulting from Saddam's attack on Irbil in 
late August 1996, but he continues to try to manipulate local 
rivalries in northern Iraq to his advantage. The United States 
and our coalition partners continue uninterrupted enforcement 
of the no-fly zone over northern Iraq under Operation Northern 
Watch, the successor mission to Operation Provide Comfort. 
France chose not to participate in Operation Northern Watch, 
but the United Kingdom and Turkey remain committed to the same 
enforcement of the no-fly zone above the 36th parallel that 
existed under Operation Provide Comfort. Enforcement of the 
southern no-fly zone also continues, and France remains engage 
with our other coalition partners in conducting Operation 
Southern Watch.
    Besides our air operations, we will continue to maintain a 
strong U.S. presence in the region in order to deter Saddam. 
U.S. force levels have returned to approximate pre-Operation 
Desert Strike levels, with land- and carrier-based aircraft, 
surface warships, a Marine amphibious task force, a Patriot 
missile battalion, and a mechanized battalion task force 
deployed in support of USCINCCENT operations. On February 20, 
1997, an air expeditionary force consisting of 30 F-16s and F-
15s deployed to Doha, Qatar, to further strengthen the U.S. 
deterrent in the region. On February 22, an F-117 squadron 
deployed to Kuwait since last autumn was redeployed to the 
United States upon the completion of its mission. USCINCCENT 
has completed the initial phases of Operation Desert Focus, 
with the relocation and consolidation of all combatant forcesin 
Saudi Arabia into more secure facilities throughout Saudi Arabia. To 
enhance force protection throughout the region, additional military 
security personnel have been deployed for continuous rotation. 
USCINCCENT continues to closely monitor the security situation in the 
region to ensure adequate force protection is provided for all deployed 
forces.
    United Nations Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 949, 
adopted in October 1994, demands that Iraq not utilize its 
military forces to threaten its neighbors or U.N. operations in 
Iraq and that it not redeploy troops or enhance its military 
capacity in southern Iraq. In view of Saddam's reinforced 
record of unreliability, it is prudent to retain a significant 
U.S. force presence in the region in order to maintain the 
capability to respond rapidly to possible Iraqi aggression or 
threats against its neighbors.
    Regarding northern Iraq, we have conducted three rounds of 
talks, along with our British and Turkish partners, with the 
major Kurdish parties in northern Iraq--the Kurdistan 
Democratic Party (KDP) and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan 
(PUK). Our immediate goal is to strengthen the U.S.--brokered 
cease-fire of October 23, which continues to hold, and to 
encourage political reconciliation between the PUK and KDP. 
This Administration continues to warn all concerned that 
internecine warfare in the north can only work to the advantage 
of Saddam Hussein and Iran, which we believe has no role to 
play in the area. In this connection, we remain concerned about 
Iraqi Kurd contracts with either Baghdad or Tehran.
    The United States is providing political, financial, and 
logistical support for a neutral, indigenous Peach Monitoring 
Force (PMF) in northern Iraq that has demarcated the cease-fire 
line and will monitor the cease-fire. The PMF likely will be 
fully deployed in the next few weeks. Our support is being 
provided in the form of commodities and services in accordance 
with a drawdown directed by me on December 11, 1996, and in the 
form of funds to be used to provide other non-lethal assistance 
in accordance with a separate determination made by former 
Secretary of State Christoper on November 10, 1996.
    We also are encouraging both Kurdish groups to take steps 
toward reconciliation. At the latest round of higher-level 
talks in Ankara on January 15, the Iraqi Kurds agreed to 
establish joint committees to cooperate in such areas as 
education, health, and transportation. Local representatives of 
the two Kurd groups, the three countries and the PNF continue 
to meet biweekly in Ankara and move forward on other 
confidence-building measures. All our efforts under the Ankara 
process, like all our efforts concerning Iraq, maintain support 
for the unity and territorial integrity of Iraq.The United 
States, working through the United Nations and humanitarian relief 
organizations, continues to provide humanitarian assistance to the 
people of northern Iraq. We have contributed more than $15 million this 
fiscal year to programs in the north administered by the United Nations 
programs in the north administered by the United Nations International 
Children's Fund (UNICEF) and the World Food Program (WFP). Security 
conditions in northern Iraq remain tenuous at best, with Iranian and 
Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) activity adding to the ever-present 
threat from Baghdad.
    The oil-related provisions of UNSCR 986, which authorized 
Iraq to sell up to $2 billion of oil during an initial 180-day 
period (with the possibility of UNSC renewal of subsequent 180-
day periods), went into effect on December 10, 1996. This 
resolution requires that the proceeds of this limited oil sale, 
all of which must be deposited in a U.N. escrow account, will 
be used to purchase food, medicine, and other materials and 
supplies for essential civilian needs for all Iraqi citizens 
and to fund vital U.N. activities regarding Iraq. Critical to 
the success of UNSCR 986 is Iraq's willingness to follow 
through on its commitments under 986 to allow the U.N. to 
monitor the distribution of food and medical supplies to the 
Iraqi people, While Iraq has already sold nearly 80 percent of 
the oil allowed for the first 90-day period, Iraqi efforts to 
impose restrictions on the access and freedom of movement of 
the U.N. monitors tasked with overseeking the equitable 
distribution of humanitarian supplies have slowed such 
distribution.
    Since my last report, the Government of Iraq has continued 
to flout its obligations under UNSC resolutions in other ways. 
Under the terms of relevant UNSC resolutions, Iraq must grant 
the United Nations Special Commission on Iraq (UNSCOM) 
inspectors immediate, unconditional, and unrestricted access to 
any location in Iraq they wish to examine, and access to any 
Iraqi official whom they wish to interview, so that UNSCOM may 
fully discharge its mandate to ensure that Iraq's weapons of 
mass destruction program has been eliminated. Iraq continues, 
as it has for the past 5 years, to fail to live up either to 
the letter or the spirit of this commitment.
    On February 23, UNSCOM Chairman Rolf Ekeus obtained 
permission from the Iraqi regime to remove more than 130 SCUD 
motors from Iraq for extensive testing in the United States and 
France. Iraq agreed to this action after 3 months of stalling, 
and only after a December 30 Security Council Presidential 
Statement deplored Iraq's failure to comply with its obligation 
to cooperate with UNSCOM. Ekeus continues to believe that Iraq 
maintains significant numbers of operational SCUD missiles, 
possibly with CBW warheads. As long as Saddam refuses 
tocooperate fully with U.N. weapons inspectors, UNSCOM will be impeded 
in its efforts to fulfill its mandate. We will continue to fully 
support the mandate and the efforts of UNSCOM to obtain Iraqi 
compliance with all relevant U.N. resolutions.
    Implementation of UNSCR 1051 continues. It provides for a 
mechanism to monitor Iraq's efforts to reacquire proscribed 
weapons capabilities by requiring that Iraq notify a joint unit 
of UNSCOM and the International Atomic Energy Agency in advance 
of any imports of dual-use items. Similarly, countries must 
provide timely notification of exports to Iraq of dual-use 
items.
    Iraq continues to stall and obfuscate rather than work in 
good faith toward accounting for the hundreds of Kuwaitis and 
third-country nationals who disappeared at the hands of Iraqi 
authorities during the occupation. It has also failed to return 
all of the stolen Kuwaiti military equipment and the priceless 
Kuwaiti cultural and historical artifacts, which were looted 
during the occupation.
    Iraqi's repression of its Shi'a population continues with 
policies that are destroying the Marsh Arabs' way of life in 
southern Iraq as well as the ecology of the southern marshes. 
The human rights situation throughout Iraq remains unchanged. 
Saddam Hussein shows no sign of complying with UNSCR 688, which 
demands that Iraq cease the repression of its own people.
    The Multinational Interception Force (MIF) has been 
increasingly challenged in the last few months. In the first 6 
weeks of the year, 12 merchant vessels were diverted for 
sanctions violations. This represents the highest volume of 
smuggler traffic we have seen since maritime sanctions 
enforcement began. Most of these smugglers take gas oil 
illegally from Iraq via the Shatt Al Arab waterway and sell it 
on the spot market for enormous profit. As I have noted in 
previous reports, these smugglers use the territorial waters of 
Iran to avoid the MIF inspection in the Northern Gulf. With the 
help of the Iranian government, which profits from these 
activities by charging protection fees, these smugglers are 
able to export between 40,000 and 65,000 metric tons of gas oil 
through the Gulf each month.
    To counter the efforts of those who engage in illegal trade 
with Iraq, we have taken a number of steps to minimize the 
smuggling activity. We have adjusted the positioning of our 
naval forces to take maximum advantage of known trade routes. 
We are working closely with our friends in the Gulf Cooperation 
Council to develop greater cooperation in border patrol 
andcustoms inspection procedures. We have publicized the involvement of 
the Iranian government at the United Nations and in press reports.
    It is important to remember that these sanctions violations 
not only aid Saddam and his policy of resisting U.N. mandates, 
but also slow the flow of humanitarian aid to the Iraqi people 
who are in such great need. Committing scarce MIF assets to 
counter the smuggling trade results in fewer ships available to 
process the legal humanitarian shipments that bring food to 
Iraq under the provisions of UNSCR 986 and the humanitarian 
exceptions to sanctions.
    We continue to work closely with our maritime partners in 
the MIF. Recently, The Netherlands informed us that they will 
send a frigate and an aircraft to join the MIF in the near 
future. Canada will also soon be sending a ship to join the 
MIF. The continuing support of the international community is 
critical to the success of this multinational operation.
    Since the implementation of UNSCR 986 in December, the MIF 
has not encountered any serious problems in processing the 
maritime traffic involved in lifting oil from the Mina Al Bakr 
offshore terminal. While it is still too early to tell if the 
inbound shipments will go as smoothly, we are hopeful that our 
advance planning and preparation in this area will pay off.
    The United Nations Compensation Commission (UNCC), 
established pursuant to UNSCR 687, continues to resolve claims 
against Iraq arising from Iraq's unlawful invasion and 
occupation of Kuwait. The UNCC has issued over 1 million awards 
worth approximately $5.2 billion. The UNCC has authorized to 
date only limited payments for fixed awards for serious 
personal injury or death because additional funds to pay awards 
have been unavailable due to Iraq's refusal to comply with all 
relevant UNSC resolutions. With the advent of oil sales under 
UNSCR 986, however, 30 percent of the proceeds will be 
allocated to the Compensation Fund. These proceeds will be used 
to make installment payments on awards already made and to 
finance operations of the UNCC.
    To conclude, Iraq remains a serious threat to regional 
peace and stability. I remain determined to see Iraq comply 
fully with all of its obligations under United Nations Security 
Council resolutions. My Administration will continue to pose 
any relaxation of sanctions until Iraq demonstrates its 
peaceful intentions through such compliance.
    I appreciate the support of the Congress for our efforts 
and shall continue to keep the Congress informed about this 
important issue.
            Sincerely,
                                                William J. Clinton.

                                
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