The Report
of the Iraq Inquiry
•
suggested
that the Executive Chairman should assess the extent to which
the
temporary
cessation of UNSCOM operations had set back its ability to
complete
its
mandate;
•
recommended
a review of additional equipment which could facilitate
its
inspections;
•
noted that
additional aerial surveillance, including night surveillance if
possible,
could
enhance UNSCOM effectiveness;
•
recommended
a review of the modalities for air operations; and
•
recommended
Governments should be encouraged to make experts
available.
427.
In response,
and following consultations between members, the Security
Council
authorised
a Presidential Statement on 3 December, which:
•
endorsed
the Commission’s conclusions and recommendations;
•
reiterated
the demand that Iraq fulfil all its obligations and co-operate
fully with
UNSCOM and
the IAEA in implementing their mandates;
•
stressed
that the “effectiveness and speed with which UNSCOM
may
accomplish
its responsibilities” was “above all, determined by the degree
to
which the
Government of Iraq co-operates in disclosing the full extent
and
disposition
of its proscribed programmes and in granting UNSCOM
unimpeded
access to
all sites, document records and individuals”;
•
acknowledged
UNSCOM’s conclusion to respect the legitimate concerns of
Iraq
in the
application of its mandate;
•
welcomed
the progress made;
•
encouraged
intensified efforts, in line with the conclusions of the
emergency
session, to
implement UNSCOM and IAEA mandates;
•
acknowledged
that, as Iraq complied with its obligations and the Council
agreed,
UNSCOM and
the IAEA would make the transition from inspections to
monitoring;
and
•
urged
Member States to respond positively to UNSCOM requests for
additional
personnel,
equipment and information.166
428.
Mr Butler,
accompanied by his Deputy, Mr Charles Duelfer, and
Commissioners
from
France, Russia and the UK, held talks to discuss the implementation
of the
mandate set
out in the Presidential Statement of 3 December with an Iraqi
delegation
429.
Mr Butler
reported that discussions on access for inspections had addressed
five
categories
of sites identified by Iraq:
166
UN Security
Council, ‘3838th Meeting Wednesday 3 December 1997’
(S/PV.3838).
167
UN Security
Council, 17 December 1997, ‘Letter dated 17 December 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
Council’ (S/1997/987).
100