[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 33, Number 19 (Monday, May 12, 1997)]
[Pages 687-690]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Letter to Congressional Leaders on Iraq

May 8, 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 
March 7 to the present.
    Saddam Hussein remains a threat to his people and the region and the 
United States remains determined to contain the threat of Saddam's 
regime. Speaking on behalf of the Administration on March 26, 1997, in 
her first major foreign policy address, Secretary of State Madeleine 
Albright stated that the United States looks forward to the day when 
Iraq rejoins the family of nations as a responsible and law-abiding 
member and that, until then, containment must continue. Secretary 
Albright also made clear that Saddam's departure would make a difference 
and that, should a change in Iraq's government occur, the United States 
would stand ready to enter rapidly into a dialogue with the successor 
regime.
    In terms of military operations, the United States and our coalition 
partners continue enforcement of the no-fly zones over northern Iraq 
under Operation Northern Watch, the successor mission to Operation 
Provide Comfort, and over southern Iraq through Operation Southern 
Watch. On April 22, 1997, Saddam Hussein announced that Iraqi military 
helicopters would be flown through the southern no-fly zone for the 
purpose of transporting Iraqi pilgrims from the vicinity of the Iraqi-
Saudi border to various areas in Iraq, publicly disregarding the 
prohibition against operating Iraqi rotary and fixed wing aircraft south 
of the 33rd parallel. The next day, 10 helicopters crossed the southern 
no-fly zone and arrived at a ground staging base in western Iraq, just 
north of the Iraqi-Saudi border, to await the arrival of the pilgrims. 
Because of the possible danger to innocent Iraqi civilians, the non-
threatening nature of these flights, and the religious sensitivity of 
the situation, the United States and our coalition partners agreed not 
to take military action to intercept the helicopters.
    On April 25-27, the same Iraqi helicopters returned the pilgrims to 
their homes in various locations throughout Iraq, transiting the 
northern and southern no-fly zones in the process. Again, the United 
States and its coalition partners decided not to act against these 
flights for humanitarian and policy reasons. We have made clear to the 
Government of Iraq and to all other relevant parties, however, that the 
United States and its partners will continue to enforce both no-fly 
zones, and that we reserve the right to respond appropriately and 
decisively to further Iraqi provocations.

[[Page 688]]

    In addition to our air operations, we will continue to maintain a 
strong U.S. presence in the region in order to deter Saddam. United 
States force levels include 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. 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 utilize its military or any other 
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 accumulating 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.
    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 official whom they wish to interview, so that UNSCOM 
may fully discharge its mandate to ensure that Iraq's weapons of mass 
destruction (WMD) program has been eliminated. Iraq continues, as it has 
for the past 6 years, to fail to live up either to the letter or the 
spirit of this commitment. Of particular concern is UNSCOM's report to 
the Security Council of serious incidents involving repeated Iraqi 
threats to shoot down UNSCOM aircraft, an Iraqi escort helicopter flying 
dangerously close to the Commission's aircraft to force it to change 
direction, and Iraqi personnel aboard an UNSCOM helicopter attempting to 
wrest control of the aircraft.
    On April 11, UNSCOM Chairman Rolf Ekeus reported to the Security 
Council that resolution of the remaining questions about Iraq's WMD 
programs would require a ``major political decision'' on the part of 
Iraq's leadership to ``give up, once and for all, all capabilities and 
ambition to retain or acquire the proscribed weapons.'' The UNSCOM 
continues to believe that Iraq instead maintains significant numbers of 
operational SCUD missiles, possibly with CBW warheads. In early April, 
UNSCOM also asked Iraq to withdraw its ``full, final, and complete 
declaration'' regarding its biological weapons programs because it 
contained obvious inaccuracies and fabrications, and to submit a new 
one. As long as the Iraqi leadership 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 effort 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.
    Regarding northern Iraq, the United States continues to lead efforts 
to increase security and stability in the north and minimize 
opportunities for Baghdad or Tehran to threaten Iraqi

citizens there. Acting Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern 
Affairs David Welch led a U.S. delegation to northern Iraq on April 3 and 
4, the first visit to the north by a U.S. official since Saddam's attack 
against the region in September 1996, and the first visit at this level in 
several years. Welch met with leaders of the two main Iraqi Kurd groups, 
Massoud Barzani of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and Jalal Talabani 
of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK). Both Iraqi Kurd leaders 
reaffirmed their support for U.S. policy and their commitment to cooperate 
with us through the Ankara reconciliation process. Welch also met with 
Iraqi Assyrian and Turkoman politi

[[Page 689]]

cal leaders, PMF personnel, and U.N. officials.

    Regarding the Ankara process to help the PUK and the KDP resolve 
their differences, we have facilitated three rounds of higher-level 
talks, along with our British and Turkish partners. Our immediate goals 
in the process are to focus on strengthening the U.S.-brokered cease-
fire of October 23, 1996, which continues to hold, and on encouraging 
political reconciliation between the PUK and KDP.
    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 monitors the 
cease-fire. Our support is being provided in the form of commodities and 
services in accordance with a drawdown I directed 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. The PMF began full 
deployment in mid-April, and has already succeeded in resolving several 
troublesome incidents in violation of the cease-fire.
    The PMF has also helped the groups move forward on several other 
confidence-building measures, including a mutual release on April 14 of 
approximately 70 detainees from each Kurd group. The two Iraqi Kurd 
groups also continue to work on reconciliation efforts, including an 
initial meeting on March 12 of a joint Higher Coordination Committee to 
improve cooperation on civilian services such as electricity and health. 
Local representatives of the two Kurd groups, the three countries, and 
the PMF continue to meet biweekly in Ankara and move forward on other 
confidence-building measures.
    Security conditions in northern Iraq nonetheless remain tenuous at 
best, with Iranian and PKK (Kurdistan Workers Party) activity adding to 
the ever-present threat from Baghdad. All our efforts under the Ankara 
process, like all our efforts concerning Iraq, maintain support for the 
unity and territorial integrity of Iraq.
    Implementation of UNSCR 986 is proceeding. 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. The first shipments of food and humanitarian goods purchased with 
Iraqi oil proceeds started to arrive in Iraq on March 20.
    UNSCR 986 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 
United Nations to monitor the distribution of food and medical supplies 
to the Iraqi people.
    During the first 90 days since implementation, Iraq sold just over 
$1 billion worth of oil in accordance with the terms of UNSCR 986. 
Significant delays in implementing distribution of humanitarian goods--
caused, in part, by Iraqi efforts to impose new restrictions on the 
freedom of access and movement of U.N. monitors--made it impossible for 
the U.N. Secretary General to report on the adequacy of distribution and 
monitoring procedures during the first 90 days. We will continue to 
monitor the situation closely.
    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 that were looted during the occupation.
    The human rights situation throughout Iraq remains unchanged. 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. Saddam Hussein shows no signs of 
complying with UNSCR 688, which demands that Iraq cease the repression 
of its own people. On April 16, the U.N. Human Rights Commission passed 
a resolution strongly condemning the Baghdad regime's continued human 
rights abuses.

[[Page 690]]

That same day, the Administration announced support for an effort by 
various Iraqi opposition groups and non-governmental organizations to 
document Iraqi war crimes and other violations of international 
humanitarian law. This effort, known as INDICT, seeks ultimately to 
ensure that Saddam Hussein and other members of his regime are brought 
to justice before an international tribunal. We are in touch with 
organizers of INDICT and other parties to discuss the best means to move 
forward.
    The Multinational Interception Force (MIF) is facing an increased 
challenge from smugglers and Iran. 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 over 70,000 metric tons of gas 
oil through the Gulf each month. This represents a significant increase 
from the amount included in my last report. We are working closely with 
our allies in the Gulf and with our MIF partners to develop new 
strategies to curb these violations of the sanctions regime.
    Although MIF exchanges with the regular Iranian naval units have 
been professional and courteous, Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps naval 
units have been much more aggressive in confronting the MIF and are 
actively involved in aiding the smugglers. The MIF is acting with good 
judgment and caution in its encounters with Iran. Our objective is to 
enforce sanctions--not to engage in unproductive encounters with Iran.
    We regularly provide detailed briefings regarding developments in 
MIF sanctions enforcement to our MIF partners and Gulf Cooperation 
Council allies. We also are working closely through our mission in New 
York with the U.N. Sanctions Committee and like-minded allies on our 
approach toward Iran and sanctions violators, generally.
    The MIF continues to process the maritime traffic involved in 
lifting oil from the Mina Al Bakr offshore terminal and the delivery of 
much-needed humanitarian supplies to Umm Qasr in Iraq. So far, those 
operations are proceeding smoothly. The smuggling trade, however, 
continues to force the MIF to devote scarce resources to sanctions 
enforcement. This has resulted in fewer ships available to process the 
legal humanitarian shipments that bring food and other supplies to Iraq 
under UNSCR 986.
    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. With the 
advent of oil sales under UNSCR 986, 30 percent of the proceeds are 
being allocated to the Compensation Fund to pay awards and finance 
operations of the UNCC. Initial payments out of the Compensation Fund 
are currently being made on awards in the order in which the UNCC has 
approved them, in installments of $2,500.00. In January 1997, the United 
States Government submitted claims totaling approximately $8.8 million 
for expenses incurred in the efforts to assess and respond to 
environmental damage in the Persian Gulf region caused by Iraq's 
unlawful invasion and occupation of Kuwait.
    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.