BAHRAIN: BRITISH FOREIGN SECRETARY JACK STRAW EXPRESSES OPTIMISM ABOUT THE FUTURE OF IRAQ
Record ID:
222995
BAHRAIN: BRITISH FOREIGN SECRETARY JACK STRAW EXPRESSES OPTIMISM ABOUT THE FUTURE OF IRAQ
- Title: BAHRAIN: BRITISH FOREIGN SECRETARY JACK STRAW EXPRESSES OPTIMISM ABOUT THE FUTURE OF IRAQ
- Date: 14th April 2003
- Summary: (U2) MANAMA, BAHRAIN (APRIL 14, 2003) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 1. SMV BRITISH FOREIGN SECRETARY JACK STRAW ENTERING NEWS CONFERENCE 0.12 2. WIDE OF JOURNALISTS ATTENDING NEWS CONFERENCE 0.16 3. SCU SOUNDBITE (English) BRITISH FOREIGN SECRETARY JACK STRAW, SAYING: "My understanding so far as Baghdad is concerned is that there are improvements there. Baghdad is a very large city - five million people - we have, first of all, to make it secure and ensure that the United States troops are not a target for killing if they get out of their armoured personnel carriers. But they are doing that. Hospitals are being protected. I know from conversations I had at the weekend with United States Secretary of State Powell that large quantities of medical supplies are being moved up to Baghdad, so I believe the situation will improve." 0.49 4. SMV JOURNALISTS ATTENDING NEWS CONFERENCE 0.55 5. SCU SOUNDBITE (English) BRITISH FOREIGN SECRETARY JACK STRAW, SAYING: "There are important questions which the Syrians need to answer. So far as - Is Syria "next on the list?" we have made it clear that it is not. There is no next list and the prime minister, British Prime Minister Blair in the House of Commons last week, said that he knew of no plans for Syria to be "next on the list."" 1.17 6. SMV JOURNALISTS ATTENDING NEWS CONFERENCE 1.22 7. SCU SOUNDBITE (English) BRITISH FOREIGN SECRETARY JACK STRAW, SAYING: "It was our tragedy as well as a tragedy for his compatriots. What I'd say about this is that it illustrates the dangers of a post-dictatorship country. It's terrible that these things have happened, but I hope that we will be able to replace terror and rule by violence and the gun with the very much better rule which is ruled by democracy and I am optimistic about the future of Iraq. Thank you very much indeed." 2.00 8. SLV STRAW LEAVING NEWS CONFERENCE 2.08 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 29th April 2003 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: MANAMA, BAHRAIN
- Country: Bahrain
- Reuters ID: LVAAA8LB9Y82ZI03JPQT4X3YL1VC
- Story Text: British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw has expressed
optimism about the future of Iraq at a news conference in
Bahrain.
As United States (U.S.) Marines, supported by fighter
jets and attack helicopters, tightened the noose around Saddam
Hussein's hometown of Tikrit on Monday (April 14), British
Foreign Secretary Jack Straw expressed optimism about the
future of Iraq at a news conference in Bahrain.
In Baghdad, where U.S. troops are trying to win the
co-operation of Iraqis to help restore power and water
supplies and halt looting, night-time calm was shattered when
a firefight erupted between U.S. troops and snipers in the
city centre.
The shooting lasted several minutes and flares lit up an
area near the Palestine Hotel, home to foreign media covering
the U.S.-led war on Iraq, Reuters witnesses said. U.S.
television showed footage of U.S. Marines detaining and
leading away three men without shirts.
But Straw said the city of five million people would soon
be secure.
"My understanding so far as Baghdad is concerned is that
there are improvements there. Baghdad is a very large city -
five million people - we have, first of all, to make it secure
and ensure that the United States troops are not a target for
killing if they get out of their armoured personnel carriers.
But they are doing that. Hospitals are being protected. I know
from conversations I had at the weekend with United States
Secretary of State Powell that large quantities of medical
supplies are being moved up to Baghdad, so I believe the
situation will improve," he told reporters at the news
conference.
Although President Bush has repeated allegations that
Syria, whose bitter opposition to the war in Iraq has outraged
Washington, may be harbouring Iraqi officials or chemical
weapons, Straw gave his assurances that British troops were
not about to enter the country.
"There are important questions which the Syrians need to
answer. So far as - Is Syria "next on the list?" we have made
it clear that it is not," he said.
Straw also commented on the recent killing of Abdul Majid
al-Khoei, a moderate cleric who was hacked to death on
Thursday (April 10) by a mob at a Shi'ite holy shrine in the
city of Najaf days after he returned from exile in London.
"It was our tragedy as well as a tragedy for his
compatriots. What I'd say about this is that it illustrates
the dangers of a post-dictatorship country. It's terrible that
these things have happened, but I hope that we will be able to
replace terror and rule by violence and the gun with the very
much better rule which is ruled by democracy and I am
optimistic about the future of Iraq," Straw said.
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