SG/SM/6790
IK/255

SECRETARY-GENERAL STRONGLY URGES PRESIDENT HUSSEIN AND IRAQI GOVERNMENT TO RESUME IMMEDIATE COOPERATION WITH UNSCOM AND IAEA INSPECTORS

I am saddened and burdened by the Iraqi decision of 5 August and 31 October not to cooperate with the United Nations Special Commission (UNSCOM).

I strongly urge President Saddam Hussein and the Iraqi Government to rescind its decision and resume immediate cooperation with UNSCOM and International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) inspectors.

Iraq has maintained for a long time that it wants to see light at the end of the tunnel. I also want to see the lifting of sanctions, so that Iraq can regain its place among the community of nations. As I have said repeatedly, the only way to achieve this is for Iraq to fully cooperate with the United Nations Security Council. The Security Council had agreed on a way forward for a comprehensive review. I firmly believe that this offers Iraq a genuine opportunity. The comprehensive review will map out the remaining steps, provided Iraq cooperates, thus allowing them to see light at the end of the tunnel.

The Iraqi leadership's decision not to cooperate with UNSCOM at a time when the Council was undertaking these efforts came as a surprise to me and, I suspect, to all Council members.

I therefore appeal once again to President Saddam Hussein and the Iraqi leadership to take this opportunity to resume cooperation with UNSCOM and the IAEA. This would be good for the Iraqi people, for the region and for the world.

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United Nations