IRAQ: IRAQI'S SHOW SUPPORT FOR THEIR PRESIDENT'S MOVE TO CO-OPERATE WITH UNITED NATIONS WEAPONS INSPECTORS
Record ID:
640780
IRAQ: IRAQI'S SHOW SUPPORT FOR THEIR PRESIDENT'S MOVE TO CO-OPERATE WITH UNITED NATIONS WEAPONS INSPECTORS
- Title: IRAQ: IRAQI'S SHOW SUPPORT FOR THEIR PRESIDENT'S MOVE TO CO-OPERATE WITH UNITED NATIONS WEAPONS INSPECTORS
- Date: 13th November 2002
- Summary: W6) BAGHDAD, IRAQ (NOVEMBER 13, 2002) (REUTERS) (NIGHTSHOTS) VARIOUS: STREET SCENES; TRAFFIC (5 SHOTS) SCU: (SOUNDBITE) (English) DR. ADEL AL-BADAWEE SAYING: "We do not like to give our enemy any cause and we like to spend our life in peace. America every time speaks about war, war. Now we speak about peace and not war." SCU: (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) JASIM MOHAMMED, AN IRAQI CITIZEN SAYING: "When Iraq accepts the resolution, it aims to protect the Iraqi people and homeland." SCU: (SOUNDBITE) (English)MP MOHAMMED AL-ADHAMI SAYING: "We will support the decision of our government, because we have authorised the leadership to take the right decision, so they have taken the right decision, we support it." CU: CUTAWAY OF AL-ADHAMI'S HAND SCU: (SOUNDBITE) (English) AL-ADHAMI SAYING: "We hope that there will be no pretext, no problem, because we have a bitter experience with international teams for many years. We hope that everything would go smooth, Iraq will give free access. Iraq will give full co-operation. We hope see the same from the other side."
- Embargoed: 28th November 2002 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: BAGHDAD, IRAQ
- Country: Iraq
- Topics: Politics
- Reuters ID: LVAL5HR38AU16JSHGGZX9DSC2B5
- Story Text: Iraqis have shown support for their president's move to accept the U.N. resolution No. 1441, saying they do not want to give America a pretext to attack them.
Iraqi President Saddam Hussein's decision on Wednesday (November 13) to co-operate with U.N. weapons inspectors was met with support from the Iraqi public.
"We do not like to give our enemy any cause and we like to spend our life in peace. America every time speaks about war, war. Now we speak about peace and not war," said Dr. Adel Al-Badawee.
Others said they believed Saddam's decision was aimed at protecting the nation.
"When Iraq accepts the resolution, it aims to protect the Iraqi people and homeland," said Jasim Mohammed, an Iraqi citizen.
An Iraqi Minister of Parliament, Mohammed Al-Adhami said: "We hope that there will be no pretext, no problem, because we have a bitter experience with international teams for many years. We hope that everything would go smooth, Iraq will give free access. Iraq will give full co-operation. We hope see the same from the other side."
The eight-page letter, confirming Iraq's willingness to co-operate, was delivered by Iraq's U.N. ambassador, Mohammed Aldouri at the United Nations on Wednesday, in response to the council's resolution, adopted by a 15-0 vote last Friday. The Security Council had given Iraq a one-week deadline, to November 15, to accept the resolution and promise to abide by its terms.
Former inspectors and other experts said Saddam might feel he has no choice other than to allow the inspectors back into his country to avert the threat of a U.S.-led military attack.
But he would still make every effort to hide as many of his alleged weapons programmes as possible.
President George W. Bush has described Saddam's previous tactics as "cheat and retreat" and has said he would not tolerate them in the future.
Baghdad will have until Dec. 8 to provide the United Nations with a list of dangerous weapons it still might have as well as civilian chemical and biological "dual use"
components, that might have military applications.
Inspections will then begin and the inspectors would have until Feb. 21 to file an initial report on Iraqi compliance.
However, they must tell the Security Council of any serious violations sooner. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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