PART 2

HISTORY OF UN WEAPONS INSPECTIONS

1. During the 1990s, beginning in April 1991 immediately after the end of the Gulf

War, the UN Security Council passed a series of resolutions [see box]

establishing the authority of UNSCOM and the IAEA to carry out the work of

dismantling Iraq's arsenal of chemical, biological and nuclear weapons

programmes and long range ballistic missiles. 

UN Security Council Resolutions relating to Weapons of Mass

Destruction

UNSCR 687, April 1991 created the UN Special Commission (UNSCOM)

and required Iraq to accept, unconditionally,  the destruction, removal or

rendering harmless, under international supervision  of its chemical and

biological weapons, ballistic missiles with a range greater than 150km, and

their associated programmes, stocks, components, research and facilities.

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) was charged with abolition

of Iraq's nuclear weapons programme. UNSCOM and the IAEA must report

that their mission has been achieved before the Security Council can end

sanctions. They have not yet done so.

UNSCR 707, August 1991, stated that Iraq must provide full, final and

complete disclosure of all its programmes for weapons of mass destruction

and provide unconditional and unrestricted access to UN inspectors. For over

a decade Iraq has been in breach of this resolution.  Iraq must also cease all

nuclear activities of any kind other than civil use of isotopes.

UNSCR 715, October 1991 approved plans prepared by UNSCOM and

IAEA for the ongoing monitoring and verification (OMV) arrangements to

implement UNSCR 687. Iraq did not accede to this until November 1993.

OMV was conducted from April 1995 to 15 December 1998, when the UN

left Iraq.

UNSCR 1051, March 1996 stated that Iraq must declare the shipment of

dual use goods which could be used for mass destruction weaponry

programmes.

These resolutions were passed under Chapter VII of the UN Charter which is the

instrument that allows the UN Security Council to authorise the use of military

force to enforce its resolutions.

2. As outlined in UNSCR 687, Iraq's chemical, biological and nuclear weapons

programmes were also a breach of Iraq's commitments under: 

G

The 1925 Geneva Protocol which bans the use of chemical and biological

weapons;

33