S/PV.3848 Security Council

The Security Council will now begin its consideration of the item on its agenda. The Security Council is meeting in accordance with the understanding reached in its prior consultations. Members of the Council have before them the letter dated 12 January 1998 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, document S/1998/27; and the letter dated 13 January 1998 from the Permanent Representative of Iraq to the United Nations addressed to the President of the Security Council, document S/1998/28. I should like to draw the attention of the members of the Council to document S/1998/26, which contains the text of a letter dated 12 January 1998 from the Permanent Representative of Iraq to the United Nations addressed to the President of the Security Council. Following consultations among members of the Security Council, I have been authorized to make the following statement on behalf of the Council: “The Security Council deplores the statement of the Iraqi official spokesman of 12 January 1998 and Iraq’s subsequent failure to fulfil its obligations to provide the Special Commission with full, unconditional and immediate access to all sites. The “The Security Council recalls the statement of its President of 29 October 1997 in which the Council condemned the decision of the Government of Iraq to try to dictate the terms of its compliance with its obligations to cooperate with the Special Commission. “The Security Council reiterates its demand, contained in resolution 1137 (1997), that Iraq cooperate fully and immediately and without conditions or restrictions with the Special Commission in accordance with the relevant resolutions, which constitute the governing standard of Iraqi compliance. “The Security Council expresses its full support for the Special Commission and its Executive Chairman, including in his forthcoming travel to Iraq to continue his discussions with officials of the Government of Iraq aimed at the full implementation of the relevant resolutions and at increasing the effectiveness and efficiency of the operations of the Special Commission to this end. In this context, the Council recalls the statements of its President of 3 December 1997 and 22 December 1997 and encourages the efforts reported to it by the Executive Chairman. “The Security Council requests a full briefing by the Executive Chairman on these discussions as soon as possible after they have taken place, so that it can decide as necessary on an appropriate response on the basis of the relevant resolutions. “The Security Council will remain seized of the matter.” This statement will be issued as a document of the Security Council under the symbol S/PRST/1998/1. The Security Council has thus concluded the present stage of its consideration of the item on its agenda. The Security Council will remain seized of the matter.