Washington -- President Clinton said November 13 that Saddam Hussein "has it within his hands to end this crisis now by resuming full cooperation with UNSCOM."

In remarks at the beginning of a domestic event with law enforcement officers, Clinton said Iraq's continued refusal and defiance of UN resolutions prove "that its real goal is to end the sanctions without giving up its weapons of mass destruction program."

The President said the UN Security Council "and the world" have stated that "none of us can tolerate an Iraq free to develop weapons of mass destruction with impunity."

The Arab community believes the consequences of noncompliance are Saddam's responsibility alone, he added.

Following is the White House transcript:

(Begin transcript)

THE WHITE HOUSE

Office of the Press Secretary

November 13, 1998

REMARKS BY THE PRESIDENT

Old Executive Office Building

THE PRESIDENT: Thank you very much and good morning. Ladies and gentlemen, because this is the only time I'm going to be before the press today, at the outset of my remarks I'd like to say a few things about the situation in Iraq.

For more than three months, the United States and the international community have very patiently sought a diplomatic solution to Iraq's decision to end all its cooperation with the U.N. weapons inspectors.

Iraq's continued refusal to embrace a diplomatic, peaceful solution, its continued defiance of even more United Nations resolutions makes it plainer than ever that its real goal is to end the sanctions without giving up its weapons of mass destruction program.

The Security Council and the world have made it crystal clear now that this is unacceptable, that none of us can tolerate an Iraq free to develop weapons of mass destruction with impunity. Still, Saddam Hussein has it within his hands to end this crisis now by resuming full cooperation with UNSCOM. Just yesterday his own neighbors in the Arab world made it clear that this choice is his alone, and the consequences if he fails to comply, his alone in terms of responsibility.

(End transcript)

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