H.Doc.105-203 CERTIFICATION RELATING TO THE CONVENTION OF CHEMICAL WEAPONS ...

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monitor closely the security situation in the region to ensure 
adequate force protection is provided for all deployed forces.
    United Nations Security Council Resolution 9491 adopted in 
October 1994, demands that Iraq not use its military or any 
other forces to threaten its neighbors or U.N. operations in 
Iraq and that it not redeploy troops or enhance its military 
capacity in southern Iraq. In view of Saddam's accumulating 
record of unreliability, it is prudent to retain a significant 
U.S. force presence in the region in order to deter Iraq and 
maintain the capability to respond rapidly to possible Iraqi 
aggressions or threats against its neighbors.
    Implementation of UNSCR 1051 continues. It provides for a 
mechanism to monitor Iraq's efforts to reacquire proscribed 
weapons capabilities by requiring Iraq to notify a joint unit 
of UNSCOM and the IAEA in advance of any imports of dual-use 
items. Similarly, U.N. members must provide timely notification 
of exports to Iraq of dual-use items.
    The human rights situation throughout Iraq remains 
unchanged. Iraq's repression of its Shi'a population continues, 
with policies that are destroying the Marsh Arabs' way of life 
in southern Iraq and the ecology of the southern marshes. The 
United Nations, in its most recent reports on implementation of 
Resolution 986, recognized that the Government of Iraq 
continues forcibly to deport Iraqi citizens from Kirkuk and 
other areas of northern Iraq still under the Iraqi government's 
control. Iraq continues to stall and obfuscate rather than work 
in good faith toward accounting for the hundreds of Kuwaitis 
and third-country nationals who disappeared at the hands of 
Iraqi authorities during the occupation of Kuwait. The 
Government of Iraq shows no signs of complying with UNSC 
Resolution 688, which demands that Iraq cease the repression of 
its own people. The U.N. Human Rights Commission's special 
rapporteur on Iraq reported to the General Assembly of his 
particular concern that extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary 
executions and the practice of torture continue to occur in 
Iraq.
    The INDICT campaign continues to gain momentum. Led by 
various independent Iraqi opposition groups and nongovernmental 
organizations, this effort seeks to document crimes against 
humanity and other violations of international humanitarian law 
committed by the Iraqi regime. We applaud the tenacity of the 
Iraqi opposition in the face of one of the most repressive 
regimes in history. We also take note of and welcome H. Con. 
Res. 137 of November 12, expressing the sense of the House of 
Representatives concerning the need for an international 
criminal tribunal to try members of the Iraqi regime for war 
crimes and crimes against humanity.
    Regarding northern Iraq, our efforts to help resolve the 
differences between Massoud Barzani, leader of the Kurdistan 
Democratic Party (KDP) and Jalal Talabani, leader of the 
Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) have not yet yielded the 
type of permanent, stable settlement that the people of 
northern Iraq deserve. The Peace Monitoring Force--sponsored by 
the United States, Great Britain, and Turkey under the Ankara 
Process and comprising Iraqi Turkomans and Assyrians--was 
forced to withdraw from the agreed cease-fire line between the 
two groups, when PUK forces, joined by the terrorist Kurdish 
Workers Party (PKK) launched a wide-scale attack on the KDP 
onOctober 13. The KDP, supported by airstrikes and ground elements of 
the Turkish army, launched a counterattack on November 8. We have 
helped to arrange a number of temporary cease-fires and to restore 
humanitarian services in the course of this fighting, but the 
underlying causes for conflict remain. We will continue our efforts to 
reach a permanent settlement through mediation in order to minimize 
opportunities for Baghdad and/or Tehran to insert themselves into the 
conflict and threaten Iraqi citizens in this region.
    The Multinational Interception Force (MIF) continues its 
important mission in the Arabian Gulf. The U.S. Navy provides 
the bulk of the forces involved in the maritime sanctions 
enforcement authorized under Resolution 665, although we 
receive much-needed help from a number of close allies, 
including during the past year: Belgium, Canada, The 
Netherlands, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom.
    Illegal smuggling of Iraqi gasoil from the Shatt Al Arab 
waterway in violation of Resolution 661 has doubled since May 
of this year--reaching an estimated 180,000 metric tons per 
month--and continues to increase. The smugglers use the 
territorial waters of Iran with the complicity of the Iranian 
government that profits from charging protection fees for these 
vessels to avoid interception by the MIF in international 
waters. Cash raised from these illegal operations is used to 
purchase contraband goods that are then smuggled back into Iraq 
by the same route. We continue to brief the U.N. Sanctions 
Committee regarding these operations and have pressed the 
Committee to compel Iran to give full accounting of its 
involvement. We have also worked closely with our MIF partners 
and Gulf Cooperation Council states to take measures to curb 
sanctions-breaking operations.
    The United Nations Compensation Commission (UNCC), 
established pursuant to UNSCR 687 and 692, continues to resolve 
claims against Iraq arising from Iraq's unlawful invasion and 
occupation of Kuwait. The UNCC has issued almost 1.3 million 
awards worth approximately $6 billion. Thirty percent of the 
proceeds from the oil sales permitted by UNSCR's 986 and 1111 
have been allocated to the Compensation Fund to pay awards and 
to finance operations of the UNCC, and these proceeds will 
continue to be allocated to the Fund under UNSCR 1111. To the 
extent that money is available in the Compensation Fund, 
initial payments to each claimant are authorized for awards in 
the order in which the UNCC has approved them, in installments 
of $2,500. To date, 455 U.S. claimants have received an initial 
installment payment, and payment is in process for an 
additional 487 U.S. claimants.
    Iraq remains a serious threat to international peace and 
security. I remain determined to see Iraq comply fully with all 
of its obligations under U.N. Security Council resolutions. My 
Administration will continue to sustain and strengthen 
sanctions until Iraq demonstrates its peaceful intentions 
through such compliance.
    I appreciate the support of the Congress for our efforts 
and shall continue to keep the Congress informed about this 
important issue.
            Sincerely,
                                                William J. Clinton.

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