Steps taken towards establishing ongoing verification system.

• Position: Iraq; disarmament

The UN Special Commission on Iraqi disarmament (UNSCOM) has reported steps towards establishing an ongoing monitoring and verification system to ensure Iraq's compliance with the complex cease-fire agreement, as set out in Security Council resolution 687 (1991) following the Persian Gulf war.

UNSCOM Executive Chairman Rolf Ekeus on 11 July reported (S/1994/860) that Iraq was extending its "full cooperation" towards creating such a mechanism-expected to be operational by September 1994-according to a Joint Statement emanating from talks held in Baghdad on 4 and 5 July between representatives of Iraq and the Special Commission.

UNSCOM has overseen for more than three years the disarmament process in Iraq in the areas of chemical, biological, ballistic, nuclear and other weapons of mass destruction. Only after such process and other conditions are met would sanctions against Iraq be lifted, the Council has stipulated.

"In the absence of new and unexpected disclosures", Mr. Ekeus reported, declared and otherwise identified chemical weapons, precursors and means for their production had been destroyed; declared biological research facilities had been eliminated; and "biological strains of concern to the Commission" were disposed of.

The Commission "believes that it has a credible accounting for all of Iraq's missiles with a range greater than 150 kilometres and that such missiles remaining in Iraq after the termination of hostilities have been destroyed", he said. Iraq's programme to develop a two-stage, long-range ballistic missile had also been terminated.

Mr. Ekeus also reported that in July 1993 Iraq indicated it would comply with provisions of the ongoing monitoring and verification plans, as contained in Council resolution 715 (1991). Previously, Iraq had "attempted to block any efforts" by UNSCOM to monitor Iraq's dual-purpose capabilities. On 28 November 1993, Iraq formally stated it would accept its obligations under resolution 715.

A proposed mechanism for export/import control was under review by the Security Council's Sanctions Committee. Once agreed upon, Mr. Ekeus stated, an effective and sustainable regime meeting Council requirements would be in place.

The proposal envisaged a system of timely notification, rather than licensing, of exports from States and imports into Iraq of items to be monitored. Iraq would be required to give advance notice of its acquisition of such items. That would be reinforced, he said, by the continuing...