S/1998/1023 of 31/10/1998 Letter on Iraq's decision to prohibit monitoring

[David]

S/1998/1023 of 31/10/1998 Letter on Iraq's decision to prohibit monitoring

LETTER DATED 31 OCTOBER 1998 FROM THE DEPUTY 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



Under instructions from the Executive Chairman, who is absent from New York, I write to inform you, and through you, the members of the Security Council, of a decision by the Government of Iraq that has been conveyed to me today, 31 October 1998.

On the evening of 31 October, Baghdad time, the National Monitoring Directorate of Iraq (NMD) called for a meeting with representatives of the Commission's Baghdad Monitoring and Verification Centre (BMVC). In that meeting, the Director of the NMD informed orally the Deputy Director of BMVC that the Revolutionary Command Council and the Ba'ath Party had taken the following decisions:

- to suspend, stop or cease all activities of the Special Commission, including monitoring;

- the monitoring teams will not be allowed to conduct any activities;

- members of the Commission's monitoring teams are not requested to depart from Iraq;

- UNSCOM monitoring cameras and other equipment will remain in place and working, but visiting of those cameras will not be allowed;

- the IAEA will be allowed to continue its monitoring activities, provided that they are independent from the Commission.

No written text of these decisions was provided to the Commission.

I would be grateful if you would bring the present letter to the attention of the members of the Security Council.