House Votes for Iraq Sanctions : Joins Senate in Seeking Trade Curbs Over Issue of Poison Gas

WASHINGTON —  In a strong signal to Third World nations developing chemical weapons arsenals, the House on Tuesday approved the imposing of economic sanctions against Iraq in punishment for its alleged poison gas attacks on Kurdish insurgents.

The measure, though weaker than a package of sanctions passed by the Senate two weeks ago, virtually assures that the United States will use economic penalties to try to stem the spread of chemical weapons use in the Middle East and elsewhere.

“This is an urgent message that must be delivered,” said Rep. Dante B. Fascell (D-Fla.), chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee. “There comes a time in every country when you need to take a moral position, and this is one of those times.”

The Reagan Administration has declared its opposition to using trade sanctions, but leading members of Congress called it unlikely that the President would risk the political damage a veto could bring. Work on a House-Senate compromise to reconcile the differing sanctions measures is expected to begin soon.

No Current Arms Sales

The House bill, approved 388 to 18, would ban U.S. sales of material to Iraq that could be used for military purposes. Although the United States currently does not sell weapons to Iraq, it does export $200 million worth of radios, electronic goods and materials that could have military uses.

The bill provides for the imposition of stronger trade sanctions later unless the President certifies to Congress that Iraq is not using chemical weapons, has guaranteed that it will not do so again and is willing to permit on-site inspections by impartial observers.

The tougher Senate bill directs the President to promptly halt all U.S. imports from or exports to Iraq unless he can certify that Iraq has ceased its alleged use of chemical weapons. That ban would include $1.1 billion in agricultural credits and $200 million in loan guarantees for Iraq, considered crucial in that nation’s attempt to rebuild its economy after the eight-year war with Iran.

The two measures now go to House and Senate negotiators, where advocates of sanctions hope to craft a compromise that will adopt at least part of the Senate’s more punitive approach.

Iraq’s defense minister, Gen. Adnan Khairallah, has denied that his country has used poison gas against the Kurds, a practice outlawed under a 1925 Geneva accord. Iraqi officials also have declared that the nation would fully abide by international law.

However, the State Department has cited what it says is incontrovertible evidence that Iraqi forces dropped poison gas bombs last month on Kurdish insurgents who have been fighting to win independence for their ethnic minority inside the country. Congressional investigators have estimated that tens of thousands of Kurds may have been killed by mustard gas and other chemical substances during the attacks.

‘Business as Usual’

“From its first knowledge of Iraqi use of chemical warfare, this Administration has been reluctant to deny Iraq even the few privileges we propose to take away today--not to mention to impose the harsher sanctions I personally feel are appropriate,” said California Rep. Howard L. Berman (D-Panorama City), a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee.

“What our actions have so far told Iraq is that they can operate their business as usual--that they may continue to overestimate our tolerance with impunity,” Berman added.

The Administration has advocated using diplomatic pressure to persuade Iraq to abandon its use of chemical weapons.

“We’re not opposed to Congress’ message,” one State Department official said. “But with a diplomatic exchange going on, these measures bind our hands.”

Opponents of sanctions also have argued that U.S. trade penalties, such as those Congress imposed most recently on South Africa, undercut American influence over a trading partner and hold little chance of success.

“A basic flaw remains--that economic sanctions have never been an effective policy,” declared Rep. Bill Frenzel (R-Minn.) during the House debate on the measure. “None of our sanctions have ever convinced (the United States’) trading partners to change their way of living.”

But Tuesday’s vote reflected a determination by a majority in Congress to take some concrete action in response to the chemical weapons threat.

Penalties for U.S. Firms

In addition to the sanctions against Iraq, the Senate also is considering a measure introduced last week by Senate Minority Leader Bob Dole (R-Kan.) that would penalize U.S. and foreign companies that sell chemical weapons ingredients or production equipment to four nations believed to be developing chemical weapons.

The bill provides for fines for U.S. companies and import bans against foreign companies that sell the materials to Iraq, Iran, Syria or Libya.

Both presidential nominees, Republican George Bush and Democrat Michael S. Dukakis, have called for measures to halt the spread of chemical warfare to Third World nations.

Tougher Sanctions Delayed

The House bill would delay and make discretionary the tougher sanctions required in the Senate’s Iraqi sanctions bill. Agricultural credits and loan guarantees for that nation would be blocked only if the President certified that Iraq was not acting in good faith in pledging to abstain from chemical weapons use.