[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 20 (Wednesday, March 4, 1998)]
[Senate]
[Page S1368]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  RECENT DEVELOPMENTS RELATING TO IRAQ

  Mr. LEVIN. Madam President, I want to take a few moments to speak 
about the important developments that have taken place over the last 
several days relating to Iraq.
  On Monday afternoon I met for about an hour with Unscom Executive 
Chairman Richard Butler. Yesterday, General Tony Zinni, the Commander-
in-Chief, U.S. Central Command, who would lead any strike that the 
United States might carry out against Iraq, testified before the Armed 
Services Committee. I believe that the remarks of Chairman Butler and 
the testimony of General Zinni would be of interest to my colleagues 
and to the American people.
  I met with Chairman Butler in his office at United Nations 
Headquarters in New York. Senator Warner and I had traveled to the 
Persian Gulf region with Secretary of Defense William Cohen, at the 
Secretary's invitation, last month and, while Senator Warner was unable 
to travel to New York on Monday, a member of his staff, Judy Ansley, 
was able to attend my meeting with Chairman Butler.
  During the course of this meeting, we covered a host of issues 
concerning Unscom inspections relating to Iraq's weapons of mass 
destruction and their means of delivery. I will not attempt to cover 
all those issues today but I did want to recap some of the major points 
that he made.
  One of the most important points that Chairman Butler made was that 
people should not get bogged down in debating the detailed procedures 
that are being worked out at UN headquarters for Unscom to inspect the 
so-called presidential sites. Instead, the international community 
should focus on Iraq's clear commitment in the Memorandum of 
Understanding to finally implement the UN Security Council resolutions 
to give Unscom and the IAEA immediate, unconditional and unrestricted 
access to any site in Iraq.
  Chairman Butler noted a fundamental historic reality that from day 1 
Iraq has sought to limit, mitigate, reduce and, in some cases, defeat 
the law (i.e. UN Security Council's resolutions) by a variety of 
devices.
  I want to just spend one more moment to restate that point. The 
details are obviously important. But the more you focus on the details 
that need to be worked out, the more that let's Saddam Hussein off the 
hook. And the hook here, which he is on and must be kept on, is his 
commitment and the U.N. resolution requiring that UNSCOM and the IAEA 
be given immediate, unconditional, and unrestricted access to any sites 
in Iraq.
  That is the goal. That is the commitment. That is the requirement. 
That is what Iraq is bound by. That is undisputed.
  While, again, details are important, we should not be focusing on the 
details because the more we do the more Saddam Hussein is going to say, 
``Oh, all those are details subject to negotiation.'' We don't want 
this to get bogged down in negotiations over details. We want to hold 
Saddam Hussein's feet to the fire. And the fire here is an unqualified 
commitment to immediate, unconditional, and unrestricted access to any 
site in Iraq, including the Presidential sites.
  Saddam is the one who is going to try to raise and create ambiguity.
  Again, while, of course, there are details to be worked out, we 
should be the ones who are focusing on the clear, unambiguous 
requirement to open these sites to access.
  Chairman Butler confirmed that after Unscom became aware, despite 
earlier denials, that Iraq had possessed 2,100 gallons of anthrax and 
3.9 tons of VX, Iraq claimed that it had destroyed those substances. He 
noted first of all, that was a violation of the UN resolutions, since 
destruction of such substances is to be carried out by Unscom, and 
second, that Unscom was unable to verify that Iraq had destroyed them.
  Chairman Butler made the point that since 1995, Unscom had found 
important indicators of weapons of mass destruction programs that Iraq 
has sought to conceal and about which they have lied to Unscom. He 
noted, moreover, that Unscom has evidence of a connection of 
significant biological substances to Iraq's special security 
organization, thus demonstrating that Saddam Hussein uses the same 
apparatus to seek or manufacture weapons of mass destruction that he 
uses to keep himself in power.
  Chairman Butler stated that Unscom only goes looking for things in 
two circumstances: one, when they have evidence that supports a search, 
such as documentation of the possession of growth media which could be 
used for biological weapons; and two, when Iraq lies to Unscom. In the 
latter case, a broad forensic investigation has to be undertaken. He 
was quick to add that just because a specific inspection doesn't ``hit 
pay dirt,'' doesn't mean that the search is over, particularly in view 
of Iraq's track record of lies and deception.
  Chairman Butler described the Memorandum of Understanding that UN 
Secretary General Kofi Annan negotiated with Iraq as a ``high-level 
political commitment'' that he ``hopes to heavens the Iraqis observe.'' 
He noted that he has talked to the Secretary General and has received 
the clarification that when a site, presidential or not, is inspected 
by Unscom, it will be his decision as to when and where the inspection 
takes place, how it is inspected, and who the members of the 
professional, technical part of the team are who will actually carry 
out the inspection. He also said that those decisions will be made by 
the Director General of IAEA with respect to nuclear matters. He added 
that this is consistent with the Secretary General's intention, that 
the details were being formalized within the United Nations, and that 
he would let me know if there were any changes to those details.

  Chairman Butler added that the diplomats who will accompany Unscom 
inspectors as observers to the eight presidential sites will be there 
to ensure not only that the Unscom inspectors comport themselves with 
dignity, but also that the Iraqis behave properly as well.
  Finally, Chairman Butler noted with concern that there has been a 
three and one-half month hiatus in some of Unscom's work in Iraq, but 
that he is very pleased that this agreement was worked out that should 
permit Unscom to resume the full spectrum of its activities and that 
they will shortly test the agreement.
  Madam President, Senator Warner and I have written to the Majority 
Leader and the Democratic Leader urging them to invite Chairman Butler 
to come to Washington to meet with all Senators. Senator Warner and I 
certainly hope that an invitation will be extended and that Mr. Butler 
would respond favorably to such an invitation, as we believe that all 
Senators should have an opportunity to hear directly from this 
dedicated international public servant.
  Madam President, during his appearance before the Armed Services 
Committee, General Zinni testified that our friends in the Persian Gulf 
region congratulated the United States when Secretary General Kofi 
Annan negotiated the MOU with Iraq and they felt it was a victory for 
United States strength and resolve. He added, in response to my 
question, that he shared that view. He also testified that he agreed 
with Chairman Butler that the negotiation of the MOU leaves us in a 
better position to obtain Iraqi compliance with Security Council 
resolutions.
  I commend all of General Zinni's testimony to our colleagues.
  I again thank the Chair. I yield the floor.




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