Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, January 12, 1993 TAG: 9301120236
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL PAGE: A-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: From The Associated Press, Newsday, the Los Angeles Times and The New
DATELINE: KUWAIT CITY LENGTH: Medium
IRAQIS DEFY U.N. AGAIN
Scores of Iraqis crossed into Kuwait again Monday and carted off equipment from a disputed naval base, the second border foray in 24 hours to underscore Saddam Hussein's defiance of President Bush and his allies.The U.N. Security Council late Monday condemned Iraq's raids and demanded the return of four Silkworm missiles. The 15-nation council issued only a vague warning of "serious consequences."
The White House accused Saddam of "trying to cheat wherever possible" on Iraq's cease-fire obligations and weighed military and diplomatic options against Baghdad.
White House spokesman Marlin Fitzwater said the United States would look to the Security Council to decide what actions may be necessary. But Fitzwater also said the United States stood ready to act "without warning" to force Baghdad back into compliance.
Final approval of the Security Council statement reportedly was delayed for hours while Edward Perkins, the American U.N. envoy, persuaded the other members to strengthen the wording.
The added wording accepted by the other members accused Iraq of taking part in a "pattern of flouting Security Council resolutions." That had the effect of broadening the condemnation of Iraq.
Iraq's U.N. ambassador argued that U.N. officials gave permission for Monday's action and another expedition Sunday, when about 200 armed Iraqis removed weapons, including four Silkworm anti-ship missiles abandoned in the Persian Gulf War.
A U.N. spokesman, Abdel Latif Kabbaj, said Iraq had permission to remove only non-military equipment by Friday. He said Iraq violated the agreement and also failed to get U.N. permits to enter the area.
Asked whether he expected another foray at the base, Kabbaj said: "I don't think so, because there is nothing else to take from the area." On Monday, about 120 Iraqis removed warehouses, water tanks, electrical wire and other equipment.
On Sunday, an Iraqi held a gun to the head of an unarmed Canadian peacekeeper who blocked the road with his car, said Canada's ambassador to Kuwait, Christopher Poole.
The forays followed Saddam's apparent capitulation to a demand to remove anti-aircraft missiles from southern Iraq, where U.S. and allied planes have patrolled since August to prevent Iraqi air attacks on Shiite Muslim rebels.
In another violation of an allied order, Iraq has deployed anti-aircraft missiles into the no-fly zone protecting the Kurdish population north of the 36th parallel, U.S. officials said Monday.
The placement over the past several days of what one official described as "a handful" of the missiles violates an allied order last spring banning such missiles north of the 36th parallel.