USA: IRAQI AMBASSADOR TO THE UNITED NATIONS DEFENDS HIS COUNTRY'S ACTIONS AFTER A SUICIDE CAR BOMBING KILLS FOUR U.S. SOLDIERS
Record ID:
338140
USA: IRAQI AMBASSADOR TO THE UNITED NATIONS DEFENDS HIS COUNTRY'S ACTIONS AFTER A SUICIDE CAR BOMBING KILLS FOUR U.S. SOLDIERS
- Title: USA: IRAQI AMBASSADOR TO THE UNITED NATIONS DEFENDS HIS COUNTRY'S ACTIONS AFTER A SUICIDE CAR BOMBING KILLS FOUR U.S. SOLDIERS
- Date: 31st March 2003
- Summary: (W8) NEW YORK, UNITED STATES (MARCH 29, 2002) (REUTERS) 1. LAS TILT DOWN SLV EXTERIOR OF IRAQI AMBASSADOR TO THE UNITED NATIONS RESIDENCE 0.07 2. MV IRAQI'S U.N. AMBASSADOR MOHAMMED ALDOURI WALKING OUT OF IRAQ'S MISSION 0.20 3. (SOUNDBITE) (English) MOHAMMED ALDOURI, IRAQ'S AMBASSADOR TO THE UNITED NATIONS SAYING "Certainly we cannot accept
- Embargoed: 15th April 2003 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: NEW YORK, UNITED STATES
- City:
- Country: USA
- Reuters ID: LVAFN93XWJZCA5UBWLJTVNDMMHQ
- Story Text: In New York, Iraq's Ambassador to the United Nations
has defended his county's actions after a suicide car bombing
killed four American soldiers.
Mohammed Aldouri also supported his country's decision to
reject a U.N. Security Council vote reviving the "oil for
food" programme, saying "nothing can pass through without the
acceptance of Iraq."
The U.N. Security Council on Friday (March 28, 2003) voted
unanimously to free billions of dollars in Iraqi oil revenues
to purchase food and medicine for Iraq's people who face a
possible humanitarian crisis in the war. The resolution gives
U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan control of humanitarian
goods in the oil-for-food program over the next 45 days. Some
60 percent of Iraq's 26 million people depend on the program
for food.
But according to Iraq's Ambassador to the United Nations
Mohammed Aldouri on Saturday (March 29), government officials
in Baghdad have turned down the new resolution renewing the
program, saying it is unacceptable.
"Certainly we cannot accept such a resolution. We have to
be involved in that endeavour. Nothing can pass through
without the acceptance of Iraq. Without the authorization of
the Iraqi government and we cannot permit that our money be
dispersed here and there and without our knowledge and without
our authorization," Aldouri said during an interview in New
York.
The program, which began in December of 1996, allows Iraq
to sell oil to purchase food, medicine and a host of civilian
supplies under U.N. supervision. It was suspended by U.N.
Secretary-General Kofi Annan, who evacuated more than 300
relief workers before U.S. and British forces invaded Iraq.
As U.S. and British warplanes launched waves of withering
air strikes on Baghdad on Saturday (March 29) a suicide bomber
killed four American soldiers at a checkpoint in what Iraq
warned was just a foretaste of more such attacks.
A U.S. official said a car exploded at a checkpoint near
the Shi'ite Muslim holy city of Najaf, about 100 miles (160
km) south of Baghdad, killing the Iraqi driver and four
American soldiers who were searching the vehicle. Iraqi state
television named the bomber as Ali Hammadi al-Namani, an army
officer, and claimed he had killed 11 Americans, not four. It
said President Saddam Hussein had awarded medals to the
bomber.
Aldouri defended the bombing, calling al-Namani's actions
in essence self-defence.
"We are not attacking United States or Britain as
countries, as people. We are attacking our enemies who want to
kill us in our territories, in our houses, in our towns, in
our states. So I think nobody could blame any Iraqi to do
whatever he can to defend himself, to defend his dignity, his
honour, and also to defend his country," Aldouri told Reuters.
The suicide attack, the first against the U.S.-led
invasion force, threatens to complicate Washington's task of
defending supply lines and preparing for a major battle for
Baghdad.
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