USA: FORMER CHIEF ARMS INSPECTOR ROLF EKEUS SAYS WITHOUT CONTINUED US PRESSURE ON IRAQ TO DISARM SADDAM HUSSEIN WOULD CONTINUE HIS POWER QUEST

Record ID: 646611

  • Title: USA: FORMER CHIEF ARMS INSPECTOR ROLF EKEUS SAYS WITHOUT CONTINUED US PRESSURE ON IRAQ TO DISARM SADDAM HUSSEIN WOULD CONTINUE HIS POWER QUEST
  • Date: 12th November 2002
  • Summary: (EUROPE) WASHINGTON D.C, UNITED STATES (NOVEMBER 12, 2002) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 1. WIDE OF MEETING 0.07 2. SV: (SOUNDBITE) (English) FORMER U.N. ARMS INSPECTOR ROLF EKEUS SAYING: "I don't think he bothers about money, he bothers about power. He is not getting oil money, and we know he has given up so much money with refusing to cooperate with the United Nations, he could have had the sanctions lifted a long time ago. So he is interested in power and the weapons, they give him that, they give him the power, that makes a difference." 0.30 3. SV: CUTAWAY TO REPORTERS 0.34 4. SV: (SOUNDBITE) (English) EKEUS SAYING: "But I think it is important for the U.S, which is leading, who had taken on the cause to liberate Kuwait, who is now carrying the enormous burden of providing the pressure on Iraq. My starting point is, without pressure on Iraq, forget it, we will have a very highly armed Iraq with all of these terrible weapons, we can't just rest and sit down and the U.S has taken the lead." 1.02 5. WIDE OF MEETING 1.07 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 27th November 2002 12:00
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  • Location: WASHINGTON D.C., UNITED STATES
  • City:
  • Country: USA
  • Reuters ID: LVA44UJERFN96WOLANE5PX6NWTNC
  • Story Text: Former chief arms inspector Rolf Ekeus has said without
    a continued pressure by the United States on Iraq to disarm,
    the country's leader, Saddam Hussein would continue his quest
    for power through a massive weapons programme.


    Speaking to journalists in Washington D.C on Tuesday
    (November 12), Rolf Ekeus, who led the inspectors from 1991 to
    mid-1997, said Saddam Hussein's quest for weapons had nothing
    to do with money.

    "I don't think he bothers about money, he bothers about
    power. He is not getting oil money, and we know he has given
    up so much money with refusing to cooperate with the United
    Nations, he could have had the sanctions lifted a long time
    ago," said Ekeus.

    "He is interested in power and the weapons, they give him
    that, they give him the power."
    Ekeus believes arms inspectors could find Iraq's suspected
    weapons of mass destruction, if they were given enough time.

    A U.N. Security Council resolution, adopted last Friday
    (November 8) gives the inspectors until February 21, 2003 at
    the latest to file an initial report but they must tell the
    Security Council of any serious violations ahead of that date.

    Ekeus said fellow Swede, Hans Blix, the current chief
    inspector, and his Egyptian counterpart from the International
    Atomic Energy Agency, Mohamed ElBaradei, had a terrible burden
    on their shoulders as their word could mean war.

    Ekeus said much of Iraq's weaponry had been discovered
    during his term in office and those of his successor,
    Australian Richard Butler but, he said, in the four year
    period during which there had been no weapons inspectors in
    the country, Iraq could have amassed a considerable quantity
    of weapons.

    Ekeus believes that U.S pressure has been the most
    effective deterrent to an armed Iraq.

    "Without pressure on Iraq, forget it. We will have a very
    highly armed Iraq with all of these terrible weapons, we can't
    just rest and sit down and the U.S has taken the lead."
    Earlier in the day, Iraq's parliament unanimously
    rejected a new U.N. Security Council resolution calling on
    Baghdad to disarm or face "serious consequences." Iraq has
    until Friday to indicate its acceptance of the resolution. The
    final say rests with Iraq's Revolutionary Command Council, led
    by Saddam Hussein.
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