    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1997, Book I)]
    [January 7, 1997]
    [Pages 12-15]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Letter to Congressional Leaders Reporting on Iraq's Compliance With
    United Nations Security Council Resolutions
    January 7, 1997

    Dear Mr. Speaker:  (Dear Mr. President:)
        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 U.N.
    Security Council (UNSC). This report covers the period from November 4
    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, but he continues to try to
    manipulate local rivalries in northern Iraq to his advantage. The United
    States and our coalition partners continue to enforce the no-fly zone
    over southern Iraq. Enforcement of the northern no-fly zone also
    continues uninterrupted, despite a restructuring of operations. Because
    of changes in its mission as a result of the closing last fall of the
    Military Command Center (MCC) in the city of Zakho, Iraq and the shift
    of humanitarian assistance in the north under UNSCR 986 to international
    organizations, the designation ``Provide Comfort'' will no longer be
    used to describe the operation. The United Kingdom will continue to take
    part in this mission; however, France has chosen not to continue to
    participate in this endeavor. None of these changes affect our firm
    commitment to ensuring that the northern no-fly zone is fully enforced.
        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

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    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. As an additional deterrent against Iraqi aggression, F-117
    aircraft remain deployed to Kuwait. Since submission of my last report,
    USCINCCENT has completed the initial phases of Operation Desert Focus,
    with the relocation and consolidation of all combatant forces in 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 threaten its neighbors or U.N.
    operations in Iraq and that it not redeploy 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.
        In northern Iraq, we have made some limited progress in
    strengthening the October 23 cease-fire and encouraging political
    reconciliation between the two main Iraqi Kurd groups, the Kurdistan
    Democratic Party (KDP) and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK).
    Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs Robert Pelletreau
    co-chaired talks between the KDP and the PUK in Turkey on October 30 and
    November 15, alongside representatives of the Turkish and British
    governments. During these talks, we obtained agreement from the two
    parties that the neutral, indigenous Peace Monitoring Force (PMF) would
    demarcate and observe the cease-fire line. To support the PMF, I have
    directed, under the authorities of sections 552(c) and 614 of the
    Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, as amended, the drawdown of up to $4
    million in Department of Defense commodities and services, and the
    Secretary of State has made a determination under which we will provide
    up to $3 million for uniforms, tents, generators and other non-lethal
    supplies. Issues related to PMF operations are discussed regularly by a
    Supervisory Peace Monitoring Group that meets in Ankara and is composed
    of U.S., U.K. and Turkish representatives, as well as members of the
    indigenous relevant parties. In these and other high level meetings,
    this Administration has consistently warned 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 the KDP's links to
    Baghdad and the PUK's ties to Iran.
        Despite the cease-fire and other efforts, many residents of northern
    Iraq continued to face threats from Baghdad due to their association
    with U.S.-affiliated nongovernmental organizations, who had undertaken
    relief work in northern Iraq over the past few years. In response, this
    Administration, with the assistance of Turkey, conducted a third
    humanitarian evacuations operation of approximately 3,780 residents of
    northern Iraq whose lives were directly threatened by the Iraqi regime.
    All of the evacuees are being processed on Guam under the U.S. refugee
    resettlement program, while most of the 2,700 evacuated under two
    previous operations are now resettled in the United States.
        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 U.N. International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF) and the World
    Food Program (WFP). Security conditions in northern Iraq remain tenuous
    at best, with Iranian and PKK (Kurdistan Workers Party) activity adding
    to the ever-present threat from Baghdad.
        On December 9, the U.N. Secretary General submitted his formal
    report to the UNSC stating that all necessary conditions for
    implementation of UNSCR 986 had been met. Following this action, the
    resolution went into effect 12:01 a.m. on December 10. UNSCR 986
    authorizes 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. Resolution 986 provides 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

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    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.
        We have already seen good evidence that the safeguards systems is
    working: when Saddam Hussein pushed a button in Kirkuk on December 10 to
    turn on the flow of oil before any oil contracts had been approved by
    the U.N., the U.N. made him turn it off. The oil flow began again, under
    proper U.N. supervision, a short time later.
        The Government of Iraq has, since my last report, continued to flout
    its obligations under a number of Security Council 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. 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.
        In his October 11 semiannual written report to the Security Council,
    UNSCOM Executive Chairman Rolf Ekeus outlined in comprehensive detail
    Iraq's past and ongoing efforts to conceal evidence of its weapons of
    mass destruction (WMD) programs. In his December 18 briefing to the
    Security Council, Ekeus urged it to take action to reverse Iraq's
    current blocking of UNSCOM removal of 130 SCUD motors from Iraq for
    analysis. As reported to the press by Security Council President Fulci
    that day, Ekeus informed the Council that he thought significant numbers
    of SCUD missiles still exist in Iraq. As long as Saddam refuses to
    cooperate fully with U.N. weapons inspectors, UNSCOM will be impeded in
    its efforts to fulfill its mandate to ensure that Iraq's WMD program has
    been eliminated. We will continue to fully support the mandate and the
    efforts of the Special Commission to obtain Iraqi compliance with all
    relevant U.N. resolutions.
        The implementation of the export/import monitoring mechanism
    approved by the Security Council in Resolution 1051 began on October 1.
    Resolution 1051 approved a mechanism to monitor Iraq's undertaking to
    reacquire proscribed weapons capabilities by requiring that Iraq inform
    the U.N. in advance of any imports of dual-use items and that countries
    provide timely notification of the export to Iraq of dual-use items.
        Iraq also 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.
        Iraq's repression of its Shi'a population continues with policies
    aimed at 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 signs of
    complying with UNSCR 688, which demands that Iraq cease the repression
    of its own people.
        The Multinational Interception Force (MIF) remains on station in the
    Arabian Gulf. Our commitment to the enforcement of the sanctions regime
    is clearly demonstrated by the significant investment we have made with
    our naval forces in this area. Since my last report, 10 vessels have
    been intercepted and diverted for sanctions violations. Most of the
    vessels diverted have been engaged in illegal oil smuggling, but in
    recent weeks, we have begun to intercept smaller boats attempting to
    smuggle Iraqi dates as well. Traditionally, our naval forces encounter
    an increase in date smugglers as Ramadan approaches.
        We continue to note suspected smugglers using the territorial waters
    of Iran to avoid interception by the MIF. Due to the geography of the
    Gulf, it is possible to transit from Iraqi ports to the UAE and the
    Indian Ocean without entering international waters. We believe, and have
    confirmed in some instances, that smugglers utilize these routes to
    export Iraqi petroleum products in violation of UNSCR 661. We believe
    that there are elements within the Iranian government who profit from
    charging ``protection fees'' for the safe passage through Iranian
    waters. We have presented evidence of this to the United Nations
    Sanctions Committee, and I am pleased to report that the Committee has
    decided to admonish Iran for failing to halt sanctions violators in its
    waters.

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        The recent implementation of UNSCR 986 will increase the workload of
    our naval forces participating in the MIF. We are prepared to meet the
    increased monitoring effort in the coming months. The surge in maritime
    traffic expected to occur with the implementation of UNSCR 986 will
    necessitate extreme vigilance to ensure that those who would profit from
    illegal trade with Iraq are not given the opportunity to succeed.
        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. At its
    most recent meeting, the UNCC Governing Council approved an award of
    $610 million on the claim by the Kuwait national oil company for the
    costs of extinguishing the oil well fires ignited by Iraq at the end of
    the Gulf War. 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 sanctions. With the advent of oil sales under
    UNSCR 986, however, 30 percent of the proceeds (which is anticipated to
    be as much as $100 million per month) will be allocated to the
    Compensation Fund. These proceeds will be used to make installment
    payments on awards already made and to finance the 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 U.N. Security Council resolutions. My Administration
    will continue to oppose 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

    Note: Identical letters were sent to Newt Gingrich, Speaker of the House
    of Representatives, and Strom Thurmond, President pro tempore of the
    Senate. This letter was released by the Office of the Press Secretary on
    January 8.