From: barnhart@ddsw1.MCS.COM (Mr. Aaron Barnhart)
Subject: IPS:SOMALIA: U.N. head says disarmament is a prerequisite
Date: Wed, 30 Dec 1992 01:18:46 GMT
Organization: Evanston, Illinois, U.S.A.

Copyright Inter Press Service 1992, all rights reserved.  Permission to re-
print within 7 days of original date only with permission from 'newsdesk'.


Reference: United Nations
Title: SOMALIA: U.N. head says disarmament is a prerequisite


new york, dec 14 (ips) -- less than a week into the u.s.-led
intervention in somalia, secretary-general boutros boutros-ghali
of the united nations is seeking to underplay the ''differences in
interpretation'' on how exactly ''a secure environment'' could be
created in the east african nation for the safe delivery of
humanitarian supplies.

addressing a press conference here monday (only his second at
u.n. headquarters since he took office early this year), boutros-
ghali outlined the progress made in several conflicts around the
world, but focussed on the current u.n.-authorised somalia
operation.

''we are still in the beginning of the operation and in the
stage of consultations. nothing has been decided (about disarming
the somalis). we have to wait at least one or two weeks to see the
practical results of the operation,'' boutros-ghali said.

in recent days, there have been differing signals coming from
washington and the united nations over whether somali
''irregulars'' should be disarmed before u.s. troops pull out of
the country.

while washington clearly prefers a short, quick intervention to
ensure the delivery of food to the starving somalis, the u.n.
secretary-general appears to be insisting on the systematic and
country-wide disarmament campaign to promote the next stage of
''post-conflict peace-building''.

according to a 'new york times' report sunday, boutros-ghali
claimed he had private commitments from the u.s. administration to
disarm the warring factions. this was mentioned in a letter he had
written to president george bush after the security council
authorised the intervention dec. 3, the report said.

without mentioning the letter at monday's press conference,
boutros-ghali said security council resolution 794 authorising the
u.s-led intervention had made it clear that ''disarmament is a
prerequisite'' to creating a secure environment. ''it will allow
us to replace the unified command'' and begin the next stage of
reconciliation and reconstruction, he said.

he admitted the ''unified command'' had ''a different
approach'' on the question of disarmament. ''but what is important
is that the political will exists to find a common denominator,''
he said. (more/ips)

somalia: u.n. head says disarmament is a prerequisite(2-e)

somalia: u.n. head (2)

''there is perfect cooperation between the united nations and
the unified command. there are regular meetings here in new york
and on the ground in somalia,'' boutros-ghali said to dispel any
fear that disagreements may hamper the humanitarian intervention.

asked what would happen if the u.s. troops pulled out before
ensuring the disarming of somali ''irregulars'', he said
resolution 794 provided for ''consultation'' before such a
decision could be made.

''we will try to persuade them not to leave without creating
conditions which will help us go towards political
reconciliation,'' he said.

referring to the upcoming january meeting on somalia in addis
ababa which he plans to chair, boutros-ghali said the agenda was
to prepare for an international conference on reconciliation in
the african nation.

he said those invited include all 11 factions in somalia and
three regional organisations -- the arab league, the organisation
for african unity (oau) and the organisation of the islamic
conference (oic).

boutros-ghali said there was a clear ''division of labour''
between the u.s-led military operation and the united nations
efforts in somalia.

''the unified command is for providing security, while we are
dealing with the political and humanitarian problems,'' he said.

on the issue of why the united nations did not undertake the
somalia operation on its own, boutros-ghali said the world body
''did not have the logistics necessary to provide the required
forces''.

also, a u.n. operation of this size would require at least
three to four months of preparation, he said, noting that the
current operation began just five or six days after the security
council adopted resolution 794.

boutros-ghali said when the military operations in somali are
over, the united nations operations in somalia (unosom) would
provide the security for the ''programme of rehabilitation,
reconstruction and the return of refugees'', much like the united
nations does in el salvador and cambodia.

asked why the united nations had not intervened in a similar
manner in bosnia and hercegovina where the humanitarian problems
were equally pressing, the u.n. head said this was for the
security council to decide. ''also, in somalia, because of the
absence of a government, it was not possible to distribute
humanitarian assistance''. (end/ips/am/yjc/92)
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