Iraq.

News on General Assembly and Security Council actions, plus reports from peacekeeping operations and missions of humanitarian assistance.

News of the military strikes on Iraq by the United States and United Kingdom, on 16 December, came as this issue was in press; our coverage of Iraq was updated with this report that very day.

And end to the strikes was announced on 19 December.

Secretary-General Kofi Annan said 16 December was a "sad day for the United Nations, and for the world", and that his thoughts were with the people of Iraq, with the 370 United Nations humanitarian workers who remained in the country, and with all others whose lives were in danger. It was also a very sad day for him personally, the Secretary-General stated, since throughout the year he had done everything in his power to ensure peaceful compliance with Security Council resolutions, and to avert the use of force.

Members of the Security Council on 16 December expressed divided views on the use of force against Iraq. The air strikes followed the latest report of the United Nations Special Commission (UNSCOM), which had stated that Iraq had not met its obligation to cooperate fully with UNSCOM and that the Commission was unable to conduct the substantive work mandated to it by the Council.

Sir Jeremy Greenstock of the United Kingdom said Iraq had deliberately provoked a series of crises over the past 14 months. The UNSCOM report made clear that Iraq had yet again failed to keep its promises. The whole history of concealment and deceit was the reason for having reached the point of military action, the objectives of which were clear: to degrade Iraq's capability to build and use weapons of mass destruction; and to diminish the military threat Iraq posed to its neighbours.

Peter Burleigh of the United States said coalition forces were acting under the authority provided by Council resolutions, and the resort to military action was undertaken only when it was evident that diplomacy had been exhausted. The Government of Iraq bore full responsibility for the consequences of the military operation. However, the United States Government's quarrel was not with the Iraqi people. It would do all it could to minimize civilian casualties and support Iraqis who were working for the day when the people of their country would be free to choose their own leaders and shape their own destiny.

Sergey V. Lavrov of the Russian Federation asked what right had the United States and the United Kingdom to justify the use of force to enforce Council resolutions or mandates. No one could act independently on behalf of the United Nations or assume the functions of a world policeman, he stated. While there were problems between Iraq and UNSCOM, the current crisis was artificially created. The UNSCOM Executive chairman, Richard Butler, had presented a distorted picture of what was taking place in Iraq - he had "grossly abused his authority", and his actions led to the sharp deterioration of the situation in the country, Mr. Lavrov stated. He was convinced that resolution of the Iraqi problem was possible only through political and diplomatic channels and international law.

Qin Huasun of China said Iraq had resumed its cooperation with UNSCOM and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). In the light of that, the unprovoked military action by the two States was completely groundless. He was concerned for the people of Iraq and the United Nations personnel in the country. China was against force or threat of force as they were, in themselves, a threat to international peace and security. The differences between Iraq and UNSCOM could be settled by dialogue, but the use of force might create serious consequences for the implementation of Council resolutions. He called for a stop to all military action and a return to the path of cooperation and dialogue.

Nizar Hamdoon of Iraq, who was invited to the Council meeting, said the UNSCOM Executive Chairman had singled out five incidents, out of a total of 300 that had been undertaken since the Commission had resumed operations on 18 November, and had deemed those five incidents to indicate a lack of cooperation. In one of the incidents, the Iraqi side had asked that UNSCOM respect the Moslem religious day on Friday. As he spoke, rockets and bombs were falling over the cities and villages of Iraq, Mr. Hamdoon stated. He was not talking about a fireworks display being enjoyed by CNN viewers, but bombs that would rip out the hearts of elderly men and women and remove the smiles of children. The United States had once again flouted international law. It had not even allowed the Council to complete discussion on the maintenance of international peace and security, he added.

A previous crisis over inspections and monitoring had been diffused during the weekend of 14 and 15 November following a series of diplomatic exchanges and against a backdrop of a threatened military strike. In consultation with the Security Council, the Secretary-General had sent a letter to Iraqi President Saddam Hussein on 13 November, repeating his public appeal to Iraq to come back into compliance with Council resolutions. Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister Tariq Aziz the next day sent a response, announcing his Government's decision to resume working with inspectors.

On 15 November, Council members noted that Iraq had decided, "clearly and unconditionally, to cooperate fully" with UNSCOM and the IAEA. In a statement to the press, members said Iraq's decision constituted "a rescinding" of its decisions of 5 August and 31 October, by which it had halted cooperation with the inspectors. They also noted that Iraq's cooperation with UNSCOM and the IAEA would allow the return of inspectors to resume all their activities "on an immediate, unconditional and unrestricted basis".

The crisis began when Iraq first indicated on 5 August that it was suspending cooperation with UNSCOM and the IAEA pending Security Council agreement to lift the oil embargo (as a first step towards ending the sanctions), reorganize the Commission and move k to either Geneva or Vienna. In the interim, it would permit only monitoring activities, under resolution 715 (1991). Two days earlier, during a visit to Baghdad, the Executive Chairman was told by Mr. Aziz that UNSCOM must certify to the Security Council that the requirements of section C of resolution 687 (1991) had been met. The Chairman said that he was not in a position to do so. The Deputy Prime Minister then suspended the talks. On 8 August, in a letter from its President, the Council noted that Iraq was obliged to provide UNSCOM with the cooperation necessary for it to undertake activities, including inspections. On 6 August, the Council President had termed Iraq's actions "totally unacceptable".

On 30 September, Mr. Annan had recommended that the United Nations Iraq-Kuwait Observation Mission (UNIKOM) be maintained. He said that during the previous six-month period. UNIKOM, which monitors the demilitarized zone along the Iraq-Kuwait border, continued to contribute to the maintenance of calm and stability in the zone. "The situation along the border was generally quiet", the Secretary-General said, adding that the Mission had received the cooperation of the Kuwaiti and Iraqi authorities in discharging its duty. During the period under review from 24 March to 23 September 1998, UNIKOM carried out its normal operations without interruption, he reported.

On 30 September, the United Nations Compensation Commission paid out over $690 million to claimants for losses arising from Iraq's 1990 invasion of Kuwait. A total of $519,520,000 was paid to 67 Governments and three international organizations for distribution to 207, 808 successful claimants whose claims arose in connection with their departure from Iraq or Kuwait. The Commission also made available $171,255,083 to 50 Governments and three international organizations for distribution to 70,557 successful claimants whose claims concerned individual losses of up to $100.000.

Oil-for-food Programme

The "oil-for-food" programme of humanitarian assistance to Iraq has been extended for a six-month period. Acting under Chapter VII of the UN Charter, the Security Council on 24 November, in unanimously adopting resolution 1210 (1998), decided to continue to permit Iraq to produce up to $5.256 billion worth of petroleum and petroleum products for a period of 180 days in order to purchase humanitarian goods.

In a report to the Council, Secretary-General Kofi Annan noted that because of low oil prices, only $1.98 billion was available for the oil-for-food programme. This, he said, was "far short" of the $3.1 billion target. "Nevertheless, the programme has continued to help provide a more adequate food basket to the Iraqi people." He said there had been sustained improvement in lowering rates of infant malnutrition in the three northern governorates, although in central and southern Iraq infant malnutrition, while not worsening, continued to be a grave concern. He reported that an increasing influx of health supplies to Iraq had expanded the range of available treatment and drugs. Preventive health care, however had not received appropriate attention. Deterioration of the electricity, water and sanitation sectors continued.

Under the oil-for-food programme, as of 13 November, more than 7.5 million tonnes of food worth more than $2 billion, nearly $400 million worth of medicine, as well as more than $200 million worth of supplies for the agriculture, power generation and distribution, water and sanitation and education sectors, had arrived in Iraq since shipments began in March 1997.

Hans von Sponeck of Germany has been appointed United Nations Humanitarian Coordinator in Iraq. He reports to the Executive Director of the Office of the Iraq Programme, Benon Sevan. The Office was established in 1997 to consolidate the management of United Nations activities related to Council resolutions on Iraq.