The Hindu : Moving towards compliance

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Mar 05, 2003

Opinion

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Moving towards compliance

IRAQ HAS DEMONSTRATED that peaceful efforts, directed at persuading it to erase its weapons of mass destruction (WMD) potential, can be effective by proceeding with the destruction of an arsenal of missiles of prohibited range. The head of the United Nations Monitoring, Verification and Inspection Commission (UNMOVIC), Hans Blix, had set March 1 as the deadline for Iraq to begin destroying its inventory of Al Samoud-2 missiles and Baghdad initiated the process with a day to spare. To date Iraq has dismantled 16 of the 100 missiles of this type that it is believed to possess, including components and fuel, and it has also destroyed design systems and casting chambers used for the production of these missiles. Baghdad has submitted to Mr. Blix's demands on this issue although it could make the case that the Al Samoud-2 series of missiles would not exceed the 150-kilometre range — the maximum permitted for Iraq's missiles under relevant U.N. Security Council resolutions — with the weight of the payload and guidance systems added on. Iraq's President, Saddam Hussein, had made out this case in an interview he gave to a U.S. news channel just days before he finally ordered the destruction of the missiles. While the U.S. and its allies continue to be sceptical of Iraq's intentions, Mr. Blix has termed the action taken in respect of these missiles as an important piece of real disarmament. Iraq has further claimed that excavations carried out in recent weeks at sites near Baghdad had proved that significant quantities of ingredients for biological and chemical weapons had been destroyed. The U.N. weapons inspectors have also re-started the process of interviewing Iraqi scientists and technicians who were involved with the WMD programmes of the past.

With Iraq having taken these important measures Mr. Blix should presumably make a more positive assessment, of Baghdad's compliance with its obligations to erase its WMD potential, when he makes a presentation before the Security Council on March 7. Till Iraq actually began to destroy its missiles Mr. Blix was said to be getting ready to report that while Baghdad had shown signs of increased activity (on the disarmament front) it did not appear to have taken the fundamental decision to comply with the relevant Security Council resolutions. The U.S. has sought to preempt any softening of the mood at the U.N. by denouncing the Iraqi moves as insignificant and insisting that it will only be satisfied with full disarmament and a regime change in Baghdad. Washington certainly does not appear to be in a mood to stop its multi-pronged efforts to solicit support for a fresh Security Council resolution which would include the key phrase that Iraq had failed to make use of the final opportunity to disarm that was provided by resolution 1441. However, Mr. Blix's view that Iraq has taken a significant disarmament measure should strengthen the hands of those members of the Security Council — France, Russia and Germany being the foremost — who argue that the need of the hour is a strengthened and expanded inspection regime and are proposing a memorandum that would extend this process by at least four months. Both sides are vigorously seeking the support of the rest of the global community, especially those non-permanent Security Council members who remain uncommitted, for their respective positions.

Mr. Hussein's decision to give an interview to the U.S. news channel was most appropriate in these circumstances. Iraq has all too often done harm to its own cause by resorting to belligerent rhetoric instead of putting forward its arguments in clear terms. Washington did, very expectedly, reject out of hand Mr. Hussein's proposal for a televised debate between him and the U.S. President, George W. Bush. But by going before the television camera Mr. Hussein did at least dent the image which Washington has so assiduously projected that he and his regime are totally unreasonable and obdurate.

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