    [Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 33, Number 10 (Monday, March 10, 1997)]
    [Pages 313-316]
    [Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

    <R04>
    Letter to Congressional Leaders Reporting on Iraq

    March 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 United
    Nations Security Council (UNSC). This report covers the period from
    January 7 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 1996, but he continues to
    try to manipulate local rivalries in northern Iraq to his advantage. The
    United States and our coalition partners continue uninterrupted
    enforcement of the no-fly zone over northern Iraq under Operation
    Northern Watch, the successor mission to Operation Provide Comfort.
    France chose not to participate in Operation Northern Watch, but the
    United Kingdom and Turkey remain committed to the same enforcement of
    the no-fly zone above the 36th parallel that existed under Operation
    Provide Comfort. Enforcement of the southern no-fly zone also continues,
    and France remains engaged with our other coalition partners in
    conducting Operation Southern Watch.
        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 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. On February 20,
    1997, an air expeditionary force consisting of 30 F-16s and F-15s
    deployed to Doha, Qatar, to further strengthen the U.S. deterrent in the
    region. On February 22, an F-117 squadron deployed to Kuwait since last
    autumn was redeployed to the United States upon the completion of its
    mission. 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

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    adequate force protection is provided for all deployed forces.
        United Nations Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 949, adopted in
    October 1994, demands that Iraq not utilize its military forces to
    threaten its neighbors or U.N. operations in Iraq and that it not
    redeploy troops 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.
        Regarding northern Iraq, we have conducted three rounds of talks,
    along with our British and Turkish partners, with the major Kurdish
    parties in northern Iraq--the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and the
    Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK). Our immediate goal is to strengthen
    the U.S.-brokered cease-fire of October 23, which continues to hold, and
    to encourage political reconciliation between the PUK and KDP. This
    Administration continues to warn 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 Iraqi Kurd contacts with either Baghdad or
    Tehran.
        The United States is providing political, financial, and logistical
    support for a neutral, indigenous Peace Monitoring Force (PMF) in
    northern Iraq that has demarcated the cease-fire line and will monitor
    the cease-fire. The PMF likely will be fully deployed in the next few
    weeks. Our support is being provided in the form of commodities and
    services in accordance with a drawdown directed by me on December 11,
    1996, and in the form of funds to be used to provide other non-lethal
    assistance in accordance with a separate determination made by former
    Secretary of State Christopher on November 10, 1996.
        We also are encouraging both Kurdish groups to take steps toward
    reconciliation. At the latest round of higher-level talks in Ankara on
    January 15, the Iraqi Kurds agreed to establish joint committees to
    cooperate in such areas as education, health, and transportation. Local
    representatives of the two Kurd groups, the three countries and the PNF
    continue to meet biweekly in Ankara and move forward on other
    confidence-building measures. All our efforts under the Ankara process,
    like all our efforts concerning Iraq, maintain support for the unity and
    territorial integrity of Iraq.
        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 United Nations International Children's Fund (UNICEF) and the World
    Food Program (WFP). Security conditions in northern Iraq remain tenuous
    at best, with Iranian and Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) activity adding
    to the ever-present threat from Baghdad.
        The oil-related provisions of UNSCR 986, which authorized 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), went into
    effect on December 10, 1996. This resolution requires 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
    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. While Iraq has already
    sold nearly 80 percent of the oil allowed for the first 90-day period,
    Iraqi efforts to impose restrictions on the access and freedom of
    movement of the U.N. monitors tasked with overseeing the equitable
    distribution of humanitarian supplies have slowed such distribution.
        Since my last report, the Government of Iraq has continued to flout
    its obligations under UNSC 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 offi

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    cial whom they wish to interview, so that UNSCOM may fully discharge its
    mandate to ensure that Iraq's weapons of mass destruction program has
    been eliminated. 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.
        On February 23, UNSCOM Chairman Rolf Ekeus obtained permission from
    the Iraqi regime to remove more than 130 SCUD motors from Iraq for
    extensive testing in the United States and France. Iraq agreed to this
    action after 3 months of stalling, and only after a December 30 Security
    Council Presidential Statement deplored Iraq's failure to comply with
    its obligation to cooperate with UNSCOM. Ekeus continues to believe that
    Iraq maintains significant numbers of operational SCUD missiles,
    possibly with CBW warheads. As long as Saddam refuses to cooperate fully
    with U.N. weapons inspectors, UNSCOM will be impeded in its efforts to
    fulfill its mandate. We will continue to fully support the mandate and
    the efforts of UNSCOM to obtain Iraqi compliance with all relevant U.N.
    resolutions.
        Implementation of UNSCR 1051 continues. It provides for a mechanism
    to monitor Iraq's efforts to reacquire proscribed weapons capabilities
    by requiring that Iraq notify a joint unit of UNSCOM and the
    International Atomic Energy Agency in advance of any imports of dual-use
    items. Similarly, countries must provide timely notification of exports
    to Iraq of dual-use items.
        Iraq 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
    that are 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) has been increasingly
    challenged in the last few months. In the first 6 weeks of the year, 12
    merchant vessels were diverted for sanctions violations. This represents
    the highest volume of smuggler traffic we have seen since maritime
    sanctions enforcement began. Most of these smugglers take gas oil
    illegally from Iraq via the Shatt Al Arab waterway and sell it on the
    spot market for enormous profit. As I have noted in previous reports,
    these smugglers use the territorial waters of Iran to avoid the MIF
    inspection in the Northern Gulf. With the help of the Iranian
    government, which profits from these activities by charging protection
    fees, these smugglers are able to export between 40,000 and 65,000
    metric tons of gas oil through the Gulf each month.
        To counter the efforts of those who engage in illegal trade with
    Iraq, we have taken a number of steps to minimize the smuggling
    activity. We have adjusted the positioning of our naval forces to take
    maximum advantage of known trade routes. We are working closely with our
    friends in the Gulf Cooperation Council to develop greater cooperation
    in border patrol and customs inspection procedures. We have publicized
    the involvement of the Iranian government at the United Nations and in
    press reports.
        It is important to remember that these sanctions violations not only
    aid Saddam and his policy of resisting U.N. mandates, but also slow the
    flow of humanitarian aid to the Iraqi people who are in such great need.
    Committing scarce MIF assets to counter the smuggling trade results in
    fewer ships available to process the legal humanitarian shipments that
    bring food to Iraq under the provisions of UNSCR 986 and the
    humanitarian exceptions to sanctions.
        We continue to work closely with our maritime partners in the MIF.
    Recently, The Netherlands informed us that they will send a frigate and
    an aircraft to join the MIF in the near future. Canada will also soon be
    sending a ship to join the MIF. The continuing support of the
    international community is critical to the success of this multinational
    operation.
        Since the implementation of UNSCR 986 in December, the MIF has not
    encountered

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    any serious problems in processing the maritime traffic involved in
    lifting oil from the Mina Al Bakr offshore terminal. While it is still
    too early to tell if the inbound shipments will go as smoothly, we are
    hopeful that our advance planning and preparation in this area will pay
    off.
        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. 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
    UNSC resolutions. With the advent of oil sales under UNSCR 986, however,
    30 percent of the proceeds will be allocated to the Compensation Fund.
    These proceeds will be used to make installment payments on awards
    already made and to finance 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 United Nations 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.