US has no excuse for war now, Iraq says
Iraq-USA, Politics, 9/20/2002

Iraq has removed any excuse for a US-led war by agreeing to new UN weapons inspections, Deputy Prime Minister Tareq Aziz said on Tuesday. "The excuse used to launch an aggression has been totally blocked," Aziz told a gathering of foreign political supporters in Baghdad, INA reported.

"They (the Americans) thought Iraq wouldn't take such a courageous decision," as accepting the return of UN arms inspectors, Aziz said.

"We are ready to work with the UN secretary general to apply our decision, Aziz said, stressing Baghdad's sincerity, INA quoted Wednesday Aziz as saying.

"It is not in the nature of the leadership and people of Iraq to opt for tactics and manoeuvres in fundamental issues," Aziz said. Washington's reaction was indicative of the US-British campaign for the return of UN arms inspectors, which was "based on lies and pretexts," he said.

"Immediately after the announcement by Baghdad, the White House rejected the decision," Aziz said. Washington "has been shocked by this courageous decision," he said. "We are serious and ready to assume responsibilities. We are completely ready to cooperate with the United Nations."

Aziz added, "all weapons of mass destruction in Iraq have been completely destroyed. Even tools and buildings housing equipment have been destroyed." The minister also accused US President George W. Bush of "wanting to make Iraq a new Afghanistan."

"The United States wants to control Iraqi oil (but) it will not be able to achieve that by installing a government in its pay,"

By accepting the return of inspectors, Baghdad was responding to repeated requests from "Arab and friendly" countries, Aziz said.

Yesterday, INA reported that the head of the International Organizations and Conferences Office at Iraq's Foreign Ministry Sa'eed Al-Musawi and Person in Charge of Iraq-UNMOVIC relation Hassan Mohammed Amin have held a meeting at the U.N headquarters to discuss the practical measures for the return of the U.N arms inspectors.

In a press interview after the meeting, Al-Musawi said the meeting discussed the practical measures of the return of the arms inspectors, describing the meeting as useful.

The meetings are due to be continued in Vienna ten days later.

Previous Stories:
  Rahall asks Iraq to permit return of UN inspectors   (9/17/2002)
  Al-Barazani: the US did not informs us of time for any attack against Iraq   (9/16/2002)
  US and British warplanes violate Iraq's airspace   (9/14/2002)

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