USA: Iraq leader Jalal Talabani says that there are no WMDs in his country and calls for the withdrawal of the UN nuclear inspection team there

Record ID: 560780

  • Title: USA: Iraq leader Jalal Talabani says that there are no WMDs in his country and calls for the withdrawal of the UN nuclear inspection team there
  • Date: 23rd September 2006
  • Summary: (BN12) NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES (SEPTEMBER 22, 2006) (AGENCY POOL) UNITED NATIONS BUILDING
  • Embargoed: 8th October 2006 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Usa
  • Country: USA
  • Topics: International Relations
  • Reuters ID: LVA7M7A07FI5XH60OQDGU3D4EV8K
  • Story Text: With the combined death toll of Iraqi civilians and military topping the 48,000 mark by recent accounts, Iraq President Jalal Talabani told the U.N. General Assembly Friday (September 22) that Iraq will have to protect its borders from insurgents.
    "Our people's patience is wearing thin, particularly when we see the blood of our innocent sons and daughters being spilled and defiled, our infrastructure destroyed, our mosques and holy shrines ruined and the rebuilding of armed forces and security forces being impeded as we try to bolster our sovereignty," he said, emphasizing that Iraq will maintain respect for its neighbours as it monitors its borders carefully.
    Talabani also appealed to the U.N. to end the UNMOVIC (United Nations Monitoring, Verification and Inspection Commission) investigation in Iraq and said that it has been confirmed by the U.N. that there are no weapons of mass destruction (WMDs) in the country.
    He continued, "Taking this fact into account and in respect to our country's interests, we urge the Security Council of the United Nations to dissolve UNMOVIC and to decommission it or transform it into an international commission or institution connected to the Untied Nations and funded by the ordinary budget of the organization. The status of this commission in its current form and financing, using Iraqi accounts is a squandering of Iraq's funds."
    The Iraqi leader ended by personally thanking U.S. President George W. Bush for toppling Saddam Hussein's regime. He said that it was too soon to consider withdrawal of troops at this time, because Iraq's armed forces were not yet competent enough to deal with the current situation in Iraq, and that when the withdrawal begins, it should be gradual.
    "Those forces are present in Iraq pursuant to an international resolution, they are essential for us in the present circumstances as we accomplish the mission of building our armed forces that are capable of putting an end to terrorism and maintaining stability and security. Only then can will it be possible to talk of a timetable for the withdrawal of multi-national forces from Iraq," said Talabani.
    U.S.-led coalition forces have occupied Iraq since its invasion in March 2003.
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