Border crisis recedes in face of Security Council demands.

The Security Council on 15 October demanded that Iraq immediately complete the withdrawal of all its military units recently deployed in southern Iraq to their original positions and refrain from using its military or any other forces in a hostile or provocative manner to threaten either its neighbours or UN operations in Iraq.

Acting under Chapter VII of the UN Charter, the Council also demanded that Iraq not redeploy those units to the south or take any other action to enhance its military capacity in southern Iraq. The Council took that action by unanimously adopting resolution 949 (1994).

On 6 October, Kuwait had informed (S/1994/1137) the Council President that Iraq had broadcast a "clear and unequivocal threat" directed not only at Kuwait, but also at the relations between Iraq and the UN. Kuwait warned the international community that the Iraqi regime might be seeking to evade its legal responsibilities under Council resolution 687 (1991) and carry out another act of aggression against Kuwait.

On 8 October, in a presidential statement, the Council said it had received with grave concern reports that substantial numbers of Iraqi troops, including units of its Republican Guard, were being redeployed in the direction of the border with Kuwait. The Council requested the Secretary-General to ensure that the UN Iraq-Kuwait Observer Mission (UNIKOM) redoubled its vigilance and reported immediately any violation of the demilitarized zone or any potentially hostile action.

It also emphasized the necessity of full implementation of all its relevant resolutions, including full cooperation by Iraq, without interference, with the UN Special Commission's vital mission.

Actions contrary to Charter

On 10 October, the Secretary-General expressed concern about the Iraqi attitude towards Kuwait, as reflected in recent statements and actions. He noted that those actions were contrary to the letter and spirit of Council resolutions governing the situation, and emphasized Iraq's obligation to comply fully with all resolutions for the maintenance of international peace and security.

Iraq's immediate and unqualified recognition of the Iraq-Kuwait border, as defined in resolution 833 (1993), and its full cooperation with the UN Special Commission would contribute to lessening tension in the region, as well as to reducing the suffering of the Iraqi people, he concluded.

Nizar Hamdoon of Iraq told reporters on 10 October that his Government had decided to move its troops from the Basra area, given the Council's concern over the matter. He added that it was the right of any Government to move its troops from time to time within its own territory.

Following its 15 October demand for withdrawal, the Council met again on 17 October. Foreign Minister Andrei Kozyrev of the Russian Federation reported on his recent meeting with Iraqi President Saddam Hussein, stating he had called for improved procedures to ensure that sanctions directed at political elites did not punish peoples and third countries, and that the Council not employ double standards in the lifting of sanctions.

Madeleine K. Albright of the United States said that, while there were signs that Iraqi troops were withdrawing, she believed that the crisis was not over. The Council should reject suggestions that Iraq be rewarded for partial compliance with its obligations.

Tariq Aziz, Deputy Prime Minister of Iraq, said that during the recent clamour, its forces had been on Iraqi soil. The Council must interpret its resolutions in a correct and equitable legal fashion. He felt some statements aimed to distort the facts and the objectives of the Council.

Iraq on 14 November informed the Secretary-General (S/1994/1288) that it recognized the sovereignty, territorial integrity and political independence of Kuwait and its international boundaries. On 16 November, the Council welcomed that recognition as a "significant step" towards the implementation of relevant resolutions.

Progress on disarmament

The Special Commission on Iraqi disarmament has reported "much progress" towards the fulfilment of its mandate in the period from June to December 1994.

At an 11 October press conference in New York, Commission Chairman Rolf Ekeus said that Iraq currently had no capability to launch weapons of mass destruction, such as chemical or biological weapons. The Commission was convinced that Iraq's chemical weapons had been destroyed and it was monitoring dual-use technologies and industries to monitor the manufacture of new weapons.

The Commission reported (S/1994/1422) on 15 December that the major elements for chemical and missile monitoring were in place. Interim monitoring in the biological area had begun. System testing had started and a mechanism for monitoring Iraq's trade in dual-purpose items had been elaborated.

The Commission also reported that the political dialogue between the Special Commission and Iraq had continued, with high-level meetings held in New York and Baghdad between July and November.

Iraq had been "generally cooperative" in the Commission's efforts to establish the physical aspects of ongoing monitoring and verification, and had provided access to all sites designated by the Commission for inspection. However, its attitude to the provision of data and supporting evidence still fell far short of its obligation to provide complete disclosure of its past proscribed programmes and of its current and recent dual-purpose capabilities. It appeared that many of Iraq's declarations were "incomplete and sometimes contradictory".

The Commission said that Iraq maintained its claim, not believed by the Commission, that it had destroyed all documentation related to past programmes and that no other tangible proofs existed to support its accounts. The Commission believed that important documentation still existed and that the Iraqi authorities had taken the conscious decision not to release it.

On 6 October, the report continued, Iraq had indicated that unless the Council's consideration of the Commission's biannual report (S/1994/1138 and Corr.1) on implementation of ongoing monitoring and verification, scheduled to take place on or about 10 October, was favourable, it might withdraw its cooperation from the Commission. On 15 October, in resolution 949 (1994), the Security Council demanded that "Iraq cooperate fully with the UN Special Commission".

Mr Ekeus, at his 11 October press conference, said that the report seemed to have been given greater significance due to recent events in Iraq. While it was not the root cause of the crisis, the report seemed to have been the "trigger", he said.

The report also called attention to the Commission's serious financial situation, which jeopardized the monitoring and verification regime and might even endanger continuing operations.

Iraq and enriched uranium

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), reporting on its 26th on-site inspection (S/1994/1206) in Iraq under Council resolution 687 (1991), stated that as a result of an investigation of Iraq's former activities in laser isotope separation (LIS), principally at the Tuwaitha site, that country had admitted that, contrary to its previous statements, it had from 1981 to 1987 assigned resources to explore the feasibility of LIS as a means of producing enriched uranium.

The inspection had been carried out from 22 August to 2 September by a team of 18 inspectors from 11 nations to survey the general activities of the facilities and to monitor the status and utilization of machine tools. Team members had no difficulty in gaining access to production records and workpiece drawings, and there had been no indications that any machine tools were being used for proscribed purposes.

In the sixth report (S/1994/1138) on implementation of ongoing monitoring and verification dated 7 October, the Secretary-General stated that the Commission believed that the basic elements for a thorough system were now in place and that it was "provisionally operational". Testing of the thoroughness and efficacy of the system had begun.

The system was based on: regular inspection of facilities of concern; an inventory of all dual-purpose items; and following the fate of all inventoried items. Those would be supplemented with aerial surveillance with a variety of sensors, tags and seals. Together, they should constitute the most comprehensive international monitoring system ever established in the sphere of arms control.

Compensation Commission

The Governing Council of the UN Compensation Commission, in its 3 November report to the Security Council (S/1994/1337), stated that it had approved the granting of compensation for the 53,845 category "A" claims (for departure from Iraq or Kuwait) recommended by the Panel of Commissioners. Payment would be delayed because of lack of sufficient resources in the Compensation Fund, it said.

The claims approved in May 1994 for the first installment under category "B" (for serious personal injury and death) had been relatively limited in terms of number and amounts.