BELGIUM: BRITISH FOREIGN SECRETARY JACK STRAW SAYS IT IS FOR IRAQI PRESIDENT SADDAM HUSSEIN TO DECIDE WHETHER CRISIS IS OVER
Record ID:
223045
BELGIUM: BRITISH FOREIGN SECRETARY JACK STRAW SAYS IT IS FOR IRAQI PRESIDENT SADDAM HUSSEIN TO DECIDE WHETHER CRISIS IS OVER
- Title: BELGIUM: BRITISH FOREIGN SECRETARY JACK STRAW SAYS IT IS FOR IRAQI PRESIDENT SADDAM HUSSEIN TO DECIDE WHETHER CRISIS IS OVER
- Date: 19th November 2002
- Summary: (W4) BRUSSELS, BELGIUM (NOVEMBER 18, 2002) (REUTERS) 1. SLV CAR ARRIVING; SLV SECURITY MAN IN FRONT OF CAR; MV MAN OPENING CAR DOOR AND JACK STRAW GETTING OUT OF CAR; MV STRAW TALKING TO MEN (4 SHOTS) 0.16 2. (SOUNDBITE) (English) STRAW SAYING "So I have to say we would have never got this far, without the resolute determination of President Bush of the United States, and the credible threat of force which is being shown by the United States, by the United Kingdom and certain other allies. this is the only reason we have got this far, but it is good news, that 15 members of the security council voted unanimously for the security council resolution 4041 and at least a start has now been made. the ball is now on Saddam Hussein's court, is up to him now whether he is disarmed peacefully or by other means but one thing is absolutely certain, Saddam Hussein will be disarmed of his weapons." 0.58 3. WIDE OF REPORTERS AND STRAW 1.01 4. (SOUNDBITE) (English) JACK STRAW SAYING "We do recognise that he has a degree of common sense and an instinct for survival and he knows what the situation is and what the consequences will be of his failure to comply." 1.13 5. MV REPORTERS WITH JACK STRAW 1.17 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 4th December 2002 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: BRUSSELS, BELGIUM
- Country: Belgium
- Reuters ID: LVAN4OF3R9XW96RH13WTPXR7KDB
- Story Text: British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw has said it was
for President Saddam Hussein to decide whether the crisis over
Iraq's alleged possession of weapons of mass destruction was
defused peacefully.
Speaking on the day U.N. arms inspectors returned to
Baghdad, Straw told reporters on Monday (November 18, 2002) "The
ball is in Saddam Hussein's court. It is up to him now whether
he is disarmed peacefully or by other means."
"But one thing I am absolutely clear about is that Saddam
Hussein will be disarmed of his weapons of mass destruction,"
Straw added as he arrived for a meeting of European Union
Foreign Ministers.
Straw, whose country has strongly supported U.S. President
George W. Bush's threat of force against Iraq if it fails to
disarm, said he believed Saddam had "a degree of common sense
and an instinct for survival" which could still help to avert
a military confrontation.
The 15 EU Foreign Ministers were due to discuss Iraq
during their two-day meeting in Brussels.
A team of U.N. arms inspectors arrived in Iraq on Monday
to relaunch a search for weapons of mass destruction on a
mission that could trigger a U.S.-led war.
Chief weapons inspector Hans Blix and Mohamed ElBaradei,
director of the International Atomic Energy Agency, flew into
Baghdad from Cyprus with a team of about 30, the first U.N
arms inspectors to visit Iraq for four years.
- Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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