World News
Iraq crisis haunts Security Council
UNITED NATIONS—The UN Security Council has struggled since mid-January to shape its policy on Iraq, but is still unable even to draw up guidelines for a major review of Iraqi disarmament and sanctions.
Most diplomats remain confident that a "comprehensive review’’ of Iraq’s compliance with UN disarmament demands and the effects of the eight-year embargo can be agreed to fairly soon. But Dec. 16-19 attacks by the United States and United Kingdom and current near daily clashes between U.S. and Iraqi forces make the situation difficult.
U.S. and British planes pounded Iraqi installations Feb. 1, a day or so after Iraqi President Saddam Hussein met with senior government and Baath Party officials to discuss a new Security Council proposal. According to the official Iraqi News Agency, the measure was rejected Jan. 31.
The Security Council created panels to appraise Iraqi disarmament, assess the country’s humanitarian needs and determine the fate of missing Kuwaitis.
The Iraqi government rejected the measure, according to its official news agency, saying Baghdad had not been contacted early on about the panels. Iraqi officials also complained that the measure would simply allow continued "procrastination" as the current UN embargo stays in place. Iraq wants UN sanctions and the blockade lifted immediately and Security Council condemnation of U.S. and British attacks and clashes over "no-fly’’ zones.
The Iraqi News Agency said Foreign Minister Mohammed Saeed al-Sahhaf sent a letter to the Security Council complaining of U.S. missiles that struck the southern city of Basra on Jan. 25.
Iraq says at least 11 people were killed and 59 people were wounded in missile strikes in and around Basra, 230 miles south of the capital, Baghdad. U.S. officials acknowledge that one missile went astray.
