Economic Sanctions

How quickly diplomats and international lawyers are misled ++ by the likes of Slobodan Milosevic, Serbia's military leader (and by Ayatollah Khomeini and the Argentine generals and Saddam Hussein). Mr. Milosevic ''can utter the most egregious falsehoods with the appearance of the utmost sincerity,'' a senior European diplomat remarked.It is difficult for the civilized leaders of civilized governments to believe that the man across the negotiating table is about to bomb civilians, wipe out families and towns and break solemn agreements.

WASHINGTON -- President Clinton stepped up efforts yesterday to increase diplomatic pressure on North Korea by calling it "virtually imperative" that the world community impose economic sanctions on Asia's nuclear renegade.With British Prime Minister John Major by his side during a D-Day appearance in Portsmouth, England, Mr. Clinton sought to quell talk of armed conflict, saying sanctions were "clearly . . . not an act of war and should not be seen as such."But North Korea's ambassador in Beijing, Chu Chang Jun, repeated warnings yesterday that "any kind of economic sanctions" against North Korea would be regarded as "a declaration of war."

WASHINGTON -- Rep. Kweisi Mfume of Baltimore declared yesterday that President Clinton's threat to send U.S. troops to Haiti "should have been there all along," given the violence being inflicted by that nation's military rulers.Charging that Haitians are "being hacked to death and fed to animals" while the United States futilely calls for change, Mr. Mfume, chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus, was among several members of Maryland's delegation who applauded Mr. Clinton's newly hardened stance.

PRESIDENT Clinton has changed our TV channel from war in Iraq to the new war raging in Kosovo. But we should not lose sight of the continuing military and humanitarian tragedy in Iraq. In a clear breach of the goals of U.N. Resolution 687 -- the 1991 Iraqi cease-fire and sanctions resolution -- new weapons are being shipped, escalating tensions and threatening further death and destruction in the unstable and arms-bloated Middle East.But this time it's the United States, not Iraq, that is undermining international law and standing in violation of the resolution Washington drafted and guided to Security Council passage.

In seeking to maintain economic sanctions on Iraq until Saddam Hussein is forced from power, the United States has no more effective ally than the Baghdad butcher himself. His latest escapade in self-destruction came this week when a United Nations inspection team was denied access to a suspected nuclear weapons development site but was able to eyeball the actual removal of large quantities of equipment.When the Security Council heard the observer team's first-hand report and then was treated to an extraordinary Pentagon briefing featuring satellite pictures of cover-up operations, it authorized its president to protest formally and demand "access to the sites where this material has been transported."

GIVE A THOUGHT to the 2,200 U.S. Marines who went ashore in Kuwait beginning Friday to hold joint exercises with Kuwaiti armed forces through January. Was there some good reason they had to miss the holiday with their families? Yes, exactly. They are a signal to Saddam Hussein of Iraq that the United States is not turned off and tuned out, that he cannot mount a sneak attack while no one notices.In some ways, the permanent crisis in Iraq is diminished. On Thursday, it ordered 300,000 metric tons of wheat from France and Australia for some $40 million.

VIENNA, Austria -- North Korea sidestepped the threat of impending U.N. economic sanctions yesterday by agreeing, after months of delay, to allow international inspections of seven nuclear facilities.The International Atomic Energy Agency announced that the Pyongyang regime of President Kim Il-Sung had accepted the agency's plans and conditions for inspecting the facilities. The inspections are expected to take place within a few weeks.Though other issues remain unresolved, both the IAEA and the Clinton administration portrayed the new agreement as an important step forward.

This holiday season provides both humorous and sad money stories. In the midst of wondering whether we'll receive a surprise Lexus or Jaguar with a red bow on Christmas morning, or whether Santa will reward us for knowing the answer to the business-related question that Jeopardy champion Ken Jennings got wrong, it's easy to lose perspective. There are more important considerations in the world than Donald Trump firing someone on The Apprentice television program. The sad story is the United Nations' oil-for-food scandal unfolding this holiday season.

The private and public sectors should heed the White House call to end economic sanctions against South Africa. Divestment, disinvestment, the Sullivan principles, the sports boycott and other mechanisms designed to force South Africa to end oppression of its black majority worked. Too slowly, but without war. It's time to claim victory.Nelson Mandela told the United Nations Special Committee Against Apartheid on Friday, "We believe the time has come when the international community should lift all economic sanctions against South Africa."

At least U.S. high level airdrops of food and medicine are finally reaching Bosnian Muslims being raped and starved and tortured and murdered to force them to flee their homes rather than falling into the hands of thugs in Serbian uniform.President Clinton has learned hard lessons since the easy days of the campaign when all that was required was to take the moral high ground, which demanded tangible help to Bosnian Muslims. As president he has learned what President Bush knew, that Americans show no signs of wanting to launch a costly war in Bosnia and that European allies do not want American intervention to provoke reprisals against vulnerable European peace-keeping troops.