[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 120 (Monday, July 24, 1995)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1500]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


   EXPRESSING THE SENSE OF CONGRESS REGARDING THE FAILURE OF IRAQ TO 
                      COMPLY WITH U.N. RESOLUTIONS

                                 ______


                         HON. EDWARD J. MARKEY

                            of massachusetts

                    in the house of representatives

                          Monday, July 24, 1995
  Mr. MARKEY. Mr. Speaker, today I am introducing legislation which 
condemns the Government of Iraq for failing to comply with U.N. 
resolutions adopted at the end of the gulf war. These U.N. resolutions 
require Iraqi authorities to provide full and complete disclosure of 
all weapons-related activities and make significant improvements in the 
area of human rights. Because Baghdad has not satisfied the 
requirements contained in these resolutions, strict sanctions on the 
export of commodities to, and the import of commodities by, the 
Government of Iraq remain in place. However, despite Iraq's continued 
noncompliance, some of our allies still are eager to lift the sanctions 
in anticipation of completing business contracts with the Iraqi 
authorities. I am pleased that Representatives Solomon, Lantos, and 
Porter have joined me in this bipartisan legislation, which we hope 
will send a strong message to the U.N. Security Council and to our 
allies that commercial interests must not be placed above vital 
security needs and fundamental human rights principles.
  Restoring trade relations with Iraq before a full picture has emerged 
of Baghdad's past research, development, and manufacture of weapons of 
mass destruction could be a disastrous, and potentially deadly, 
mistake. When it comes to obeying international security rules, Saddam 
Hussein has an abysmal track record. According to the International 
Atomic Energy Agency [IAEA], in the past Baghdad has violated its 
obligations under the Non-Proliferation Treaty by attempting to acquire 
nuclear weapons. In an April IAEA report to the United Nations, the 
IAEA stated that, while it is confident essential components of Iraq's 
past clandestine nuclear program have been identified and disposed of 
appropriately, some of the documents detailing the nuclear weapons 
program have been taken from IAEA inspectors by Iraqi authorities and 
not returned.
  According to the U.N. Special Commission, which is responsible for 
monitoring Iraq's nuclear, chemical, biological, and missile 
activities, Iraq has not provided a full and comprehensive explanation 
of its past military biological program or accounted for items and 
materials acquired for that program. With Iraq's failure to account for 
the use of these items and materials for legitimate purposes, the 
Special Commission has concluded that there is a high risk that these 
items have been purchased and used for a proscribed purpose, 
specifically the acquisition of a biological warfare agent.
  In addition to the lingering doubts about Iraqi compliance with U.N. 
resolutions regarding weapons of mass destruction, human rights 
conditions in Iraq remain intolerable. By any objective standard, the 
provisions established in U.N. Resolution 688 have not been satisfied. 
As specified in the U.N. resolution, the Security Council condemned 
Saddam Hussein's repression of the Iraqi civilian population and 
demanded that Baghdad immediately end this repression, which threatens 
peace and security in the Middle East. Iraq has murdered Kurdish 
civilians by employing chemical weapons in a brutal and systematic 
campaign of terror and has executed a large-scale military operation 
against civilians living in the southern marshes.
  In light of Iraq's failure to comply with all relevant U.N. 
resolutions, the international community must not in any way condone 
Baghdad's conduct in the name of commerce or mitigate their misdeeds 
for the sake of money. I am pleased that Representatives Solomon, 
Lantos, and Porter have joined me in introducing this resolution and 
welcome the support of our colleagues.


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