[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 29, Number 29 (Monday, July 26, 1993)]
[Pages 1420-1423]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Letter to Congressional Leaders on Iraq

 July 22, 1993

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.
    Over the last several months, we have seen more examples of the 
Iraqi Government's refusal to comply with relevant Security Council 
resolutions and international law. In May I reported on our 
investigation of allegations that Iraq attempted to assassinate former 
President Bush during his recent trip to Kuwait. We uncovered compelling 
evidence that the Iraqi Intelligence Service directed the attempt. I 
concluded that there was no reasonable prospect that new diplomatic 
initiatives or economic measures could influence the current Government 
of Iraq to cease planning future attacks against the United States and 
that a continuing threat was posed to the United States. Accordingly, I 
ordered a precise and limited strike against the headquarters of the 
Iraqi Intelligence Service in the exercise of our inherent right of 
self-defense under international law. In accordance with the Charter of 
the United Nations, we reported our actions to the Security Council 
immediately.
    We will strive to use law enforcement and international cooperation 
to prevent the Iraqi regime from once again killing innocent people in 
pursuit of its ends. It should be clear, however, that we will strike 
directly at those who direct and pursue Iraqi policies when it is 
necessary to do so in our self-defense.
    Also, on June 19, a U.S. aircraft fired a missile at an Iraqi anti-
aircraft site that had displayed hostile intent. The site has not been 
active since the attack.
    Inspections by the U.N. Special Commission on Iraq (UNSCOM) and the 
Inter- 

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national Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to date have forced Iraq to 
disclose, destroy, or render harmless all the major nuclear weapons 
facilities and equipment of which we are aware. Along with damage 
inflicted in combat, these inspections have effectively put the Iraqi 
nuclear weapons program out of business in the near-term and have 
substantially impaired Iraq's other weapons of mass destruction (WMD) 
programs.
    Over the long-term, however, we believe that Saddam Hussein is 
committed to rebuilding his WMD capability, especially nuclear weapons. 
UNSCOM and the IAEA are therefore developing a program of long-term 
monitoring in accordance with Security Council Resolution 715. Iraq has 
refused to accept that Resolution, blocking UNSCOM from installing 
cameras to monitor Iraq's compliance with restrictions on long-range 
missiles and from sealing missile sites. The Security Council has 
declared these actions, along with Iraq's failure to comply with demands 
related to its chemical weapons program, to be a material and 
unacceptable breach of Resolution 687 and has warned Iraq of ``serious 
consequences'' if it fails to comply. Discussions between UNSCOM and 
Iraq on these issues are currently underway.
    Iraq depicts itself as seeking consultations, rather than 
confrontation, in complying with Security Council resolutions. Iraq, 
however, has attempted to obstruct even the clearest Security Council 
requirements. In June, Iraq missed two deadlines to deliver equipment 
for producing chemical weapon precursors to UNSCOM for supervised 
destruction. UNSCOM has reported the matter to the Security Council, 
which has the matter under consideration. Iraq still refuses to divulge 
information indicating the foreign companies from which it purchased 
equipment and materials. Accurate information is integral to a workable 
and realistic mechanism for import control, as required by Security 
Council Resolution 715.
    Iraq has also tried to restrict the exercise of UNSCOM's aerial 
inspection rights, impose limits on the duration of inspections and the 
size and composition of inspection teams, required advance notice of 
inspection activities, and limit inspectors' rights to take photographs. 
Vandalism, harassment, and theft have continued against inspectors and 
U.N. property. Iraq is responsible for improving this hostile 
environment.
    We have received reports of Iraqi forces shooting at Saudi border 
guards across the Iraq-Saudi border. These acts appear to violate 
paragraph 3(a) of Security Council Resolution 686, which demanded that 
Iraq cease hostile or provocative acts against other states. These 
incidents are the first of their kind since the ceasefire and further 
call into question Iraq's intention to live in peace with its neighbors.
    The ``no-fly zones'' over northern and southern Iraq permit the 
monitoring of Iraq's compliance with Security Council Resolutions 687 
and 688. Over the last two years, the northern no-fly zone has deterred 
Iraq from a major military offensive in the region. Since the no-fly 
zone was established in southern Iraq, Iraq's use of aircraft against 
its population in the region has stopped, as have large-scale troop 
movements. However, the no-fly zone has not prevented the Iraqi army 
from conducting an ongoing campaign against Iraqi Shias in the southern 
marshes, involving the recent burning of several villages. We are 
continuing to work toward the placement of human rights monitors 
throughout Iraq as proposed by Max van der Stoel, Special Rapporteur to 
the U.N. Human Rights Commission, and to work for the establishment of a 
U.N. Commission to investigate and publicize Iraqi war crimes and other 
violations of international humanitarian law.
    The international community has continued its efforts, consistent 
with Security Council resolutions, to alleviate suffering in Iraq. The 
United States is working closely with the U.N. and other organizations 
to provide humanitarian relief to the people of northern Iraq, in the 
face of Iraqi Government efforts to disrupt this assistance. We continue 
to support new U.N. efforts to mount a relief program for persons in 
Baghdad and the South and will ensure that the U.N. will be able to 
prevent the Iraqi Government from diverting supplies.
    The U.N. sanctions regime exempts medicine and requires only that 
the U.N. Sanctions Committee be notified of food shipments. In 
accordance with paragraph 20 of

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Resolution 687, the Committee received notices of 20 million tons of 
foodstuffs to be shipped to Iraq through June 1993. The Sanctions 
Committee also continues to consider and, when appropriate, approve 
requests to send to Iraq materials and supplies for essential civilian 
needs. The Iraqi Government, in contrast, has maintained a full embargo 
against its northern provinces and has acted to distribute humanitarian 
supplies only to its supporters and to the military.
    The Iraqi Government has so far refused to accept U.N. conditions 
for selling $1.6 billion in oil as previously authorized by the Security 
Council in Resolutions 706 and 712, although talks between Iraq and the 
United Nations on implementing these resolutions were resumed in New 
York on July 7 for the third time in two years. Iraq could use proceeds 
from such sales to purchase foodstuffs, medicines, materials, and 
supplies for essential civilian needs of its population, subject to 
strict U.N. monitoring of sales and the equitable distribution of 
humanitarian supplies (including to its northern provinces).
    Proceeds from oil sales also would be used to compensate persons 
injured by Iraq's unlawful invasion and occupation of Kuwait. The U.N. 
Compensation Commission has received about 800,000 claims so far, with a 
total of roughly two million expected. The U.S. Government has filed a 
fourth set of individual claims with the Commission, bringing U.S. 
claims filed to about 1,100. The Commission's efforts will facilitate 
the compensation of those injured by Iraq once sufficient funds become 
available.
    Security Council Resolution 778 permits the use of a portion of 
frozen Iraqi oil assets to fund crucial U.N. activities concerning Iraq, 
including humanitarian relief, UNSCOM, and the Compensation Commission. 
(The funds will be repaid, with interest, from Iraqi oil revenues as 
soon as Iraqi oil exports resume.) The United States is prepared to 
transfer up to $200 million in frozen Iraqi oil assets held in U.S. 
financial institutions, provided that U.S. contributions do not exceed 
50 percent of the total amount contributed. We have arranged a total of 
over $51 million in such matching contributions thus far and anticipate 
making another matching contribution of just over $40 million.
    Iraq still has not met its obligations concerning Kuwaitis and 
third-country nationals it detained during the war. Iraq has taken no 
substantive steps to cooperate fully with the International Committee of 
the Red Cross (ICRC), as required by Security Council Resolution 687, 
although it has received over 600 files on missing individuals. Regional 
organizations have also been engaged--thus far to no avail--in trying to 
obtain Iraqi compliance on the issue of detainees. We continue to work 
for Iraqi compliance.
    The United Nations has completed its technical task of demarcating 
the previously agreed Iraq-Kuwait border, and the President of the 
Security Council accepted its work. Iraqi Government officials have 
refused to recognize the boundary, despite the requirement to do so 
under Security Council Resolution 687. In accordance with Security 
Council Resolution 806, which responded to Iraqi disruptions on the 
border, the U.N. continues to seek the identification and deployment of 
an armored battalion to the United Nations Iraq-Kuwait Observer Mission 
(UNIKOM), so that UNIKOM has sufficient force to take necessary actions 
to prevent violations of the border and the demilitarized zone. The 
United States and our allies also continue to press the Government of 
Iraq to return all property and equipment removed from Kuwait by Iraq.
    Iraq can rejoin the community of civilized nations only through 
democratic processes, respect for human rights, equal treatment of its 
people, and adherence to basic norms of international behavior. A 
government representing all the people of Iraq, which is committed to 
the territorial integrity and unity of Iraq, would be a stabilizing 
force in the Gulf region. The Iraqi National Congress (INC) espouses 
these goals and our support for the INC is a signal of the future we 
seek for Iraq.
    I am grateful for the support of the Congress of our efforts.
    Sincerely,
                                            William J. Clinton

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Note: Identical letters were sent to Thomas S. Foley, Speaker of the 
House of Representatives, and Robert C. Byrd, President pro tempore of 
the Senate.