[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 13 (Monday, February 23, 1998)]
[Senate]
[Page S863]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              CONGRATULATING SECRETARY GENERAL KOFI ANNAN

  Mr. DASCHLE. Mr. President, the last 48 hours have been a very 
important moment in our diplomatic efforts to achieve Iraqi compliance 
with U.N. Security Council resolutions. I want to congratulate 
Secretary-General Kofi Annan of the United Nations for his remarkable 
mission to Iraq. Obviously, many of us still look forward to being 
briefed on all of the details of the agreement between U.N. and Iraqi 
officials. But I think it is fair to say we have made great progress 
over the course of the last several days in large measure because of 
his effort.
  Just before the February congressional recess, Senator Lott and I 
came to the floor to impress upon the world community and our country 
the Senate's unity with regard to dealing with Saddam Hussein's lack of 
cooperation.
  I believe that unity exists today as well. With this unity we express 
to Saddam Hussein that his pattern of intransigence is unacceptable; 
that his willingness now to agree once more to open up his facilities 
for complete inspection is commendable.
  The question we now face is, when and under what circumstances will 
UNSCOM now be allowed to reenter the country to carry on its mission. 
But I believe that the willingness on the part of Saddam Hussein to 
negotiate with the U.N. leadership and to reach this agreement is a 
direct result of this administration's willingness to demonstrate to 
him that we will use force if necessary to accomplish our goals.
  I commend President Clinton and his administration for their efforts, 
while facing criticism in some circles, to make it abundantly clear to 
Saddam Hussein, that with or without successful negotiations, we will 
open up those facilities, we will inspect every questionable location 
to our satisfaction.
  This message of our determination to see Iraqi compliance and the 
unity we demonstrated in showing our determination to use force, along 
with the successful diplomatic efforts of Kofi Annan, have brought us 
the results today.
  We are not there yet. U.N. weapons inspectors still have to reenter 
the country and be permitted to go to each location. We still have to 
be confident that whatever questions we have regarding Iraq's 
intentions on the manufacture of weapons of mass destruction will be 
completely answered.
  I hope that until and unless we have all of those questions answered, 
our forces will be kept in the Persian Gulf to demonstrate our 
willingness to use force, if necessary, to accomplish our mission.
  So, again, Mr. President, I commend the administration, I commend Mr. 
Annan, I commend all of those who have had so much to do with our 
success today. We will watch with interest, we will watch with the 
expectation of complete success, but we will also watch with the 
knowledge that if we need to use force, that force will be every bit as 
available in the future as it has been for the last 2 weeks. I yield 
the floor.
  Mr. GRASSLEY addressed the Chair.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Iowa.

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