The Report
of the Iraq Inquiry
18.
After its
withdrawal from Iraq, the UN Special Commission (UNSCOM)
produced
two reports
on 25 January 1999, one on the disarmament of Iraq’s weapons of
mass
destruction
and one on monitoring and verification, which were formally
circulated to the
Security
Council on 29 January.5
19.
The report on
disarmament described the work of UNSCOM since 1991 and
its
methodology
and set out “material balances” for proscribed missiles and
chemical and
biological
weapons in three detailed annexes. It also included an annex “on
actions by
Iraq to
obstruct disarmament”.
20.
In March 1999,
the Amorim panel made a series of recommendations for
changing
the regime
of inspection.6
21.
After
prolonged debate, resolution 1284, adopted on 17 December 1999,
welcomed
the reports
of the three panels chaired by Mr Celso Amorim, which had
been subject
to
“comprehensive consideration” by the Council, and stressed the
“importance of a
comprehensive
approach to the full implementation of all relevant Security
Council
resolutions
… and the need for Iraqi compliance with those
resolutions”.7
22.
The resolution
replaced UNSCOM with the United Nations Monitoring,
Verification
and
Inspection Commission (UNMOVIC), which would operate as the Amorim
panel
recommended,
to provide “a reinforced system of ongoing monitoring and
verification,
which will
implement the plan approved by the Council in resolution 715 (1991)
and
address
unresolved disarmament issues”.
23.
There were
significant differences about the interpretation of the resolution
and the
way ahead.
As a result, China, France, Malaysia and Russia abstained in the
vote, but
24.
In April
2000, the JIC judged that it was likely that Iraq was continuing
to
develop
offensive biological and chemical warfare
capabilities.
5
UN Security
Council, 29 January 1999, ‘Letter dated 25 January 1999 from the
Executive Chairman of
the Special
Commission established by the Secretary-General pursuant to
paragraph 9 (b) (i) of Security
Council
resolution 687 (1991) addressed to the President of the Security
Council’ (S/1999/94).
6
UN Security
Council, 30 March 1999, ‘Letter dated 27 March 1999, from the
Chairman of the panels
established
pursuant to the note by the President of the Security Council of 30
January 1999 (S/1999/100)
addressed
to the President of the Security Council’
(S/1999/356).
7
UN Security
Council resolution 1284 (1999).
8
UN Security
Council, ‘4084th Meeting Friday 17 December 1999’
(S/PV.4084).
12