GERMANY: A MEMBER OF THE IRAQI GOVERNING COUNCIL HAS SAID THAT FORMER IRAQI PRESIDENT SADDAM HUSSEIN IS A WAR CRIMINAL

Record ID: 646931

  • Title: GERMANY: A MEMBER OF THE IRAQI GOVERNING COUNCIL HAS SAID THAT FORMER IRAQI PRESIDENT SADDAM HUSSEIN IS A WAR CRIMINAL
  • Date: 18th December 2003
  • Summary: (U4) BERLIN, GERMANY (DECEMBER 18, 2003) (REUTERS) 1. SV CLAUDIA ROTH, GERMAN GOVERNMENT'S HUMAN RIGHTS AND HUMANITARIAN AID ENVOY AND JALAL TALABANI, MEMBER OF THE IRAQI GOVERNING COUNCIL DELEGATION, WALKING UP TO CAMERAS 0.11 2. CLOSE-UP OF TALABANI SMILING 0.15 3. SLV CAMERA CREWS FILMING 0.19 4. MCU (English) JALAL TALABANI, MEMBER OF THE IRAQI GOVERNING COUNCIL DELEGATION SAYING "We are here to open a new page in the relations between the Iraqi people and the German people, between the Iraqi Republic and the Federal Republic of Germany. We are here to improve our relations on all levels: economic, trade, culture, political, et cetera". 0.40 5. SV (English) TALABANI, SAYING "We will be here in the same criteria even when we are going to present Saddam Hussein to the court as a war criminal. We will give him the full chance to defend hims elf and there will be a fair and just (trial) for him and for the other criminals who committed grave crimes against the Iraqi people" 1.04 6. CU CAMERA WOMAN FILMING 1.08 7. MCU (English) TALABANI, SAYING "You cannot believe I think that even to cry was forbidden in the time of Saddam Hussein and even to go to the mosque in the time of Saddam Hussein was forbidden. Now we have full democracy in Iraq. All party groups, from extreme left to extreme right, are free. We have over one hundred and fifty Iraqi new parties and groups and organisations". 1.32 8. SV CLAUDIA ROTH SPEAKING 1.36 9. MCU (German) CLAUDIA ROTH, GERMAN GOVERNMENT'S HUMAN RIGHTS AND HUMANITARIAN AID ENVOY SAYING: "I will be listening with very big ears to what the delegation has to tell us and how Germany can help with the reconstruction of Iraq. Even though we took a clear position on the war in Iraq we have always said that of course we are ready to contribute humanitarian aid and help with political and economic reconstruction". 2.04 10. CU CAMERAMAN FILMING 2.08 11. SV ROTH AND IRAQI DELEGATION WALKING INTO MEETING 2.22 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 2nd January 2004 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: BERLIN, GERMANY
  • Country: Germany
  • Reuters ID: LVA85FCSIJ973RXSC3W0G224DJ8D
  • Story Text: A member of the Iraqi Governing Council has said
    that former Iraqi president Saddam Hussein is a war
    criminal but would still receive a "fair and just" trial.



    Jalal Talabani, a member of the Iraqi Governing
    Council delegation and head of the Patriotic Union of
    Kurdistan, told journalists in Berlin on Thursday (December
    18) that Saddam would be tried for committing crimes
    against the Iraqi people.

    "We are going to present Saddam Hussein to the court as
    a war criminal," said Talabani, who broke the news to the
    world on Sunday (December 14) that Saddam had been captured
    by U.S. forces.

    "We will give him a full chance to defend himself and
    there will be a fair and just court for him and other
    criminals who committed grave crimes against the Iraqi
    people," Talabani said.

    Claudia Roth, the German government's human rights and
    humanitarian aid envoy, said that "even though we (the
    German government) took a clear position on the war in Iraq
    we have always said that of course we are ready to
    contribute humanitarian aid and help with political and
    economic reconstruction".

    Other Iraqi Governing Council officials have said that
    the deposed Iraqi leader should be tried in a tribunal set
    up by the Governing Council. They have also said they
    recognised the need for an international role in
    proceedings.

    The death penalty was abolished in Iraq but any
    government taking over from U.S.-led occupiers will be free
    to revive it. U.S. troops caught Saddam near his home town
    of Tikrit on Saturday (December 13) and his whereabouts
    remain secret.

    U.S. President George W. Bush said it must be up to
    Iraqi citizens to decide Saddam's fate, and that any trial
    must be public and stand up to international scrutiny.



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