ACCESSION NUMBER:00000
FILE ID:96111204.NNE
DATE:11/12/96
TITLE:12-11-96  IRAQI MISSILES STILL UNACCOUNTED FOR, EKEUS SAYS

TEXT:
(Missiles key link to chemical, biological programs) (770)
By Rick Marshall
USIA Staff Writer

Washington -- "We have not managed to account for all of Iraq's
prohibited weapons," Rolf Ekeus, chief of the United Nations Special
Commission on Iraq (UNSCOM) said at a special briefing at the Center
for Strategic and International Studies November 12.

Despite more than five years of continual work, UNSCOM has not been
able to determine the full extent of Iraq's programs to build and
deploy weapons of mass destruction, nor the amount of stocks that
remain hidden. "We don't know how much is left," Ekeus stated.

The fact that Iraq has not been able to sell its oil in over five
years, has cost the country an estimated $100 billion in revenues, a
good measure of the "enormous value" the regime places on its complex
weapons programs, Ekeus said.

Ekeus estimated, for example, that between six and 16 SCUD missiles
are not yet accounted for, although he conceded that some outside
experts believe the figure may be much higher than that.

The particular danger the missing SCUDs pose is that "Iraq prepared
these missiles for biological and chemical weapons."

Indeed, Iraq "has been working intensively" on delivery systems
capable of carrying and detonating biological and chemical warheads,
Ekeus said. The fact that some SCUDS are still unaccounted for leaves
open the possibility that Iraq may still be secretly working on
developing them or at least retaining that capability until UNSCOM's
monitoring winds down.

Recounting Iraq's five-year history of avoiding compliance with United
Nations sanctions, Ekeus noted that Baghdad had originally denied that
it was developing a biological weapons capability. Only in 1993 was
UNSCOM permitted to set up a proper monitoring system. Thereupon UN
inspectors began to find that Iraq was consuming "enormous quantities"
of what he called "growth media" -- agents which enhance the growth of
deadly biological matter.

"That led us to the only reasonable explanation," Ekeus recalled: Iraq
had a "large-scale biological weapons" program.

By July 1995, Iraq was forced to admit that it had been producing
anthrax and botulism, but denied that they were being weaponized.
Ekeus convinced the UN otherwise. What little doubt there was about
Iraqi biological weapons production evaporated when Saddam Hussein's
son-in-law Hussein Kamel fled to Jordan the following month and began
revealing the extent of Iraq's chemical and biological weapons
programs.

Kamel's revelations "created a shock" in Baghdad, Ekeus said. On
August 12, Iraq admitted that it had been "blocking" UNSCOM's efforts.
Eight days later Ekeus' team found a huge number of documents which
had been kept secret, presumably in order to safeguard future
capability.

Iraqi cooperation lasted until February of this year, Ekeus said.
Since then Baghdad has resumed its earlier ways, systematically
"hiding data about weapons and capabilities," he added, noting the
impediments put in UNSCOM's way stemmed primarily from the Republican
Guards, state intelligence apparatus and the Iraqi leadership itself.

Ekeus also expressed serious concern about Iraq's chemical weapons
program, in particular the highly potent nerve agent VX. Last November
UNSCOM found 3,800 kilograms of VX, which is said to be upwards of
1,000 times more toxic than sarin, the agent which was used in the
Tokyo subway poison gas incident.

Although Iraq claims that it has destroyed its VX stocks, Ekeus said
that UNSCOM has not been able to confirm this.

UNSCOM's difficulties with Iraq continue to this day. Indeed another
"stand-off" was only resolved this morning, Ekeus revealed, while
refraining from commenting on the specifics.

Nevertheless, an agreement has been reached to hold a meeting in
Baghdad in early December to "focus on the counting of the missiles,"
Ekeus said. UNSCOM will present its findings at the meeting in the
hopes that Iraq will finally begin cooperating fully with the United
Nations Security Council resolutions.

In subsequent remarks Ekeus revealed to reporters his concern that
UNSCOM may be forced to cut back its activities soon due to lack of
funding. UNSCOM has never been part of the UN budget and relies on
outside sources to meet its monthly expenses of about $3 million.

Asked if he has ever been this uncertain about UNSCOM's funding, Ekeus
replied "no."

The Swedish diplomat is headed for the Gulf late next week where he
will discuss a range of issues, including funding. The problems posed
by Iraq's weapons of mass destruction programs concern more than just
the Gulf states, Ekeus stressed. This is an international problem, he
said. All states should support UNSCOM's efforts.
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