IRAQ: IRAQ AGREES TO GRANT UNITED NATIONS ARMS EXPERTS IMMEDIATE ACCESS TO ALL SITES

Record ID: 337727

  • Title: IRAQ: IRAQ AGREES TO GRANT UNITED NATIONS ARMS EXPERTS IMMEDIATE ACCESS TO ALL SITES
  • Date: 22nd June 1996
  • Summary: BAGHDAD, IRAQ (JUNE 22, 1996) (RTV - ACCESS ALL) 1. LV NEWS CONFERENCE 0.07 2. MCU CHAIRMAN OF THE UNITED NATIONS (U.N.) SPECIAL COMMISSION (UNSCOM) ROLF EKEUS SAYING I AM CONVINCED THERE IS NO STANDOFF AFTER THESE TALKS (ENGLISH) 0.27 3. SV CAMERAMEN 0.30 4. MCU EKEUS SAYING THE IRAQI GOVERNMENT UNDERTAKES TO SECURE UNCONDITIONAL, UNRESTRICTED AND IMMEDIATE ACCESS TO ALL SITES THE COMMISSION WISH TO INSPECT (ENGLISH) 1.32 5. LV IRAQ'S FOREIGN MINISTERY UNDERSECRETARY RIYAD AL-QEISI SPEAKING (ENGLISH) 2.54 TRANSCRIPT SQ 2: EKEUS: "I AM CONVINCED THERE IS NO STANDOFF AFTER THESE TALKS. POLITICAL ASSESSMENT IS FOR THE SECURITY COUNCIL TO MAKE SO I SHOULD NOT SPEAK ON BEHALF OF THE COUNCIL, BUT AS I SAID TO THE COUNCIL I WOULD MAKE A POSITIVE RECOMENDATION." TRANSCRIPT SQ 4: EKEUS: "I EMPHASIZE THE IRAQI GOVERNMENT ENSURES ABOUT..., UNDERTAKES TO SECURE UNCONDITIONAL, UNRESTRICTED AND IMMEDIATE ACCESS TO ALL SITES THE SPECIAL COMMISSION AND IAI WISH TO INSPECT. THE COMMISSION ON ITS SIDE UNDERTAKES TO RESPECT FULLY THE LEGITIMATE SECURITY CONCERNS OF IRAQ AND BE GUIDED BY THE PRINCIPLES OF SOVEREIGNTY AND TERRITORIAL INTEGRITY LAID DOWN BY THE SECURITY COUNCIL IN ITS EARLIER RESOLUTION." TRANSCRIPT SQ 5: RIYAD-AL-QEISI: "WE HAVE BENN ENGAGED IN INTENSIVE DIALOGUE AND I AM GLAD TO SAY THAT WE HAVE REACHED AN AGREEMENT ON ALL THAT WE HAVE DISCUSSED AND A JOINT STATEMENT HAS BEEN SIGNED, IN SATISFACTION OF A FORWARD LOOKING DIALOGUE A JOINT PROGRAMME OF ACTION HAS BEEN REACHED, WITH A NECESSARY ARRANGEMENTS THAT BOTH SIDES WILL SEE TO IT TO BE A SUCCESS, WITH A SENSE OF ENABLING A COMMISSION TO REPORT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE TO THE SECURITY COUNCIL, THAT IRAQ HAS MET ITS OBLIGATIONS." Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved.
  • Embargoed: 7th July 1996 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: BAGHDAD, IRAQ
  • City:
  • Country: Iraq
  • Reuters ID: LVAAFBBU3LDISH9FFWLGY44T1DQ1
  • Story Text: INTRO: Iraq has agreed to grant United Nations arms experts immediate access to all sites, ending a crisis over the inspection of disputed facilities.

    ----------------------------------------------------------------- Iraq ended the crisis over inspections of its military installations by agreeing to allow arms experts from the United Nations (U.N.) to inspect all sites, senior Iraqi and U.N.

    officials said on Saturday (June 22).

    The U.N., for its part, would try to respect Iraq's concerns over sovereignty and national security when searching such sites for proscribed items or documents, the officials said.

    The announcement was made at a joint news conference attended by Riyad al-Qeisi, Iraq's foreign ministry undersecretary, and Rolf Ekeus, chairman of the U.N. Special Commission (UNSCOM) disarming Iraq under the 1991 Gulf War ceasefire agreement.

    Ekeus said: "I am convinced there is no standoff after these talks... The Iraqi government undertakes to secure unconditional, unrestricted and immediate access to all sites." Qeisi added: "I am glad to say that we have reached agreement on what we have discussed and a joint statement has been signed.

    The crisis over inspections erupted last week when Iraqi authorities denied a team headed by Nikita Smidovich access to five Republican Guard facilities in and around Baghdad on grounds of national security.

    The two sides agreed on a "joint plan of action" to ensure that all the requirements under the ceasefire conditions were met as soon as possible.

    Iraq apparently dropped an earlier demand for a timetable for the end of UNSCOM's disarmament activities. But the two sides said they agreed to accelerate the pace of inspections.


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