- Title: IRAQ: IRAQ'S FOREIGN MINISTER VOWS TO MAINTAIN HARD LINE ON OIL-FOR-FOOD DEAL.
- Date: 26th November 2001
- Summary: (U4) BAGHDAD, IRAQ (NOVEMBER 25, 2001)(REUTERS- ACCESS ALL) 1. LV: THE FOREIGN MINISTRY BUILDING. 0.03 2. CU: (SOUNDBITE)(English) IRAQI FOREIGN MINISTER NAJI SABRI, ASKED WHETHER THERE ARE ANY IRAQI CONDITIONS FOR THE RETURN OF THE U.N. INSPECTORS, SAYING: "We are for a legal interpretation of the Security Council resolutions we do not accept selective approach by Security Council Members, that is to say Iraq is forced to implement obligations within these resolutions and the Security Council does not meet or honour its own obligations within these resolutions." 1.08 3. CU: HANDS OF THE MINISTER 1.10 4. CU: (SOUNDBITE)(English) IRAQI FOREIGN MINISTER NAJI SABRI, ASKED WHETHER IRAQ ACCEPTS ANY CHANGES ON THE OIL-FOR-FOOD DEAL, SAYING: "There will be no deal if the Iraqi government does not accept, do not agree to the changes introduced. If the changes introduced on the oil-for-food agreement will not get the approval of the government of Iraq, this means that the agreement null and void." 1.33 5. MV: THE MINISTER 1.36 6. MCU: (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) IRAQI FOREIGN MINISTER NAJI SABRI SAYING: "We are for the legal interpretation and implementation of the U.N. Security Council resolutions away from the process of bad politicising pursued and imposed by the U.S. and Britain on the Security Council along the past 11 years. We are with the return to the resolution 687 which should be interpreted and implemented legally." 2.09 FILE (FILE) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 7. VARIOUS: VARIOUS OF PEOPLE COLLECTING MONTHLY RATIONS UNDER OIL-FOR-FOOD DEAL (10 SHOTS) 3.14 8. GV/MV/CU: U.N. CARS GETTING OUT OF THE UN BUILDING/ AN IRAQI SOLDIER GUARDING THE U.N. BUILDING/ U.N. FLAG FLYING (3 SHOTS) 3.31 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 11th December 2001 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: BAGHDAD, IRAQ
- Country: Iraq
- Reuters ID: LVAB116B9ATIZQQAPJB5KTN4SAW0
- Story Text: Iraq's Foreign Minister Naji Sabri has vowed to
maintain Iraq's hard line on an oil-for-food deal with the
United Nations and the return of U.N. weapons inspectors to
the country.
Speaking on Sunday (November 25), Sabri said Iraq
would throw out the oil-for-food arrangement with the U.N. --
established in 1995 -- if controversial changes proposed by
Britain and the United States were introduced.
The minister also said Iraq would not allow U.N. weapons
inspectors back in the country and that the world body should
lift trade sanctions imposed in 1990.
Sabri said Iraq was not ready to accept the return of U.N.
inspectors who had been barred from Iraq since December 1998.
He repeated Iraq's position that the Security Council should
lift the sanctions regime and rid the Middle East region of
weapons of mass destruction. And he accused the U.N. security
council of implementing its resolutions selectively so Iraq
had to comply but the council itself did not meet the
requirements of its own resolutions.
"We are for a legal interpretation of the Security Council
resolutions. We do not accept selective approach by Security
Council Members, that is to say Iraq is forced to implement
obligations within these resolutions and the Security Council
does not meet or honour its own obligations within these
resolutions."
Baghdad has accused U.N. weapons inspectors of spying on
Iraq for the United States and believes that if they return
they will do the same.
The arms experts had been trying to investigate sites
where Iraq was suspected of storing or manufacturing weapons
of mass destruction.
The last team left shortly before the United States and
Britain launched a bombing campaign after inspectors said
Baghdad was obstructing their work.
Washington says Baghdad has strengthened its weapon
arsenal since barring the inspectors. On Monday, The United
States accused Iraq and North Korea of having biological
weapons. Iraq denied the accusation.
Earlier this month U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell
said Washington would turn its attention to Iraq and its
weapons programmes once it had dealt with Osama bin Laden's al
Qaeda organisation and the Taliban through its military
campaign in Afghanistan.
Iraq's oil-for-food programme comes up for renewal at the
end of the month. The 15-nation U.N. Security Council must
approve a resolution either to extend the current programme or
revamp it before November 30.
Sabri, speaking in Baghdad, said there would be no deal if
the Iraqi government does not accept changes introduced on the
oil-for-food agreement.
The deal with the United Nations allows Baghdad to sell oil
to buy food, medicine and humanitarian goods to ease the
impact of U.N. sanctions imposed after Iraq invaded Kuwait in
1990.
The United States and Britain want to overhaul the
sanctions to make it easier for Iraq to buy ordinary goods,
while clamping down on smuggling and keeping tight controls on
the purchase of goods with military applications.
But Russia, which enjoys a veto at the Security Council,
opposed the "smart sanctions" plan when it was debated in the
summer.
Baghdad demands the total lifting of U.N. sanctions, which
it says have crippled the economy.
British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw said earlier this
month he had discussed a revision of the smart sanctions plan
with Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov.
But Sabri said Iraq would not accept changes to the
oil-for-food programme.
"There will be no deal if the Iraqi government does not
accept, do not agree to the changes introduced. If the changes
introduced on the oil-for-food agreement will not get the
approval of the government of Iraq, this means that the
agreement null and void," he said.
Straw did not say what the proposed changes were, but
diplomats at the United Nations said they would not be
submitted unless Russia showed signs of compromise.
Sabri, who met Ivanov this month in New York, said he did
not sense any change in Russia's view.
- Copyright Holder: REUTERS
- Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2015. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
- Usage Terms/Restrictions: None