1.1 | UK
Iraq strategy 1990 to 2000
•
Four
complete missile engines which had not been declared were found
in
early 1997.
•
In March
1997, IAEA excavations at declared burial sites had unearthed
an
undeclared
“highly expensive cache of … valves” for use in uranium
enrichment.
290.
Mr Ekéus
told the Inquiry that it had started to become clear in spring 1997
that
it was:
“… a matter
of months rather than years before UNSCOM/IAEA could
report
the accomplishment
of the WMD disarmament and the monitoring
functionality
291.
In May 1997,
Mr Blair became Prime Minister of the UK.
292.
From the
middle of 1997, Saddam Hussein adopted more sharply
confrontational
tactics,
and the humanitarian situation continued to deteriorate, with the
result that Iraq
climbed
back up the international agenda. The five Permanent Members of the
UN
Security
Council (the “P5”), and the international community more widely,
were divided
in their
response.
293.
Following four
incidents in early June 1997, there was an exchange of
letters
between
UNSCOM and Iraq, including two letters on 5 June from
Mr Aziz to Mr Ekéus.
294.
In one letter,
Mr Aziz stated that UNSCOM’s activities gave “rise to
profound
disquiet”
and raised “serious questions” about UNSCOM’s commitment to
“complete
its mandate
… expeditiously and in an impartial and businesslike
manner”.127
295.
In a second
letter, Mr Aziz stated that UNSCOM was conducting inspections
“on
the pretext
of alleged concealment” and fabricating “crises and tensions” to
“provide a
pretext for
directing … unfounded accusations against Iraq” and prolonging its
duties.128
296.
In response,
Mr Ekéus wrote to the President of the Security Council
suggesting
that the
Council “might wish to remind Iraq of its
obligations”.129
297.
A Presidential
Statement issued on 13 June expressed “serious concern”
about
the
incidents in which “Iraqi personnel unacceptably interfered with
helicopter flights
operating
in support of inspection” of designated sites. The Security Council
deplored
126
Statement
Ekéus, 23 April 2011, page 6.
127
UN Security
Council, 16 June 1997, ‘Letter dated 5 June 1997 from the
Deputy Prime Minister of Iraq
addressed
to the Executive Chairman of the Special Commission Established by
the Secretary-General
pursuant to
paragraph 9 (b) (i) of Security Council resolution 687 (1991)’
(S/1997/462).
128
UN Security
Council, 13 June 1997, ‘Letter dated 5 June 1997 from the
Deputy Prime Minister of Iraq
addressed
to the Executive Chairman of the Special Commission Established by
the Secretary-General
pursuant to
paragraph 9 (b) (i) of Security Council resolution 687 (1991)’
(S/1997/456).
129
UN Security
Council, 13 June 1997, ‘Letter dated 9 June 1997 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/1997/455).
75