Iraq calls on UN to lift air embargo
Iraq, Politics, 7/2/1998

Iraq on Wednesday called on the UN Security Council to cancel the two no-fly zones in the north and south of the country.

In its commentary, the Iraqi daily al-Joumhouriyah issued on Wednesday in Baghdad commenting on the launch of a US missile against an Iraqi radar site on Tuesday said that "were the UN really free" (of US domination) Iraq would expect the UN Security Council not only to condemn what it described as the recent US aggression, but also to cancel the two "no-fly zone" areas.

The daily denounced the UN Security Council's silence over the incident, stating that it pursues a double-standard policy.

In 1991, the US imposed a no-fly zone that prohibits Iraqi planes from areas over northern Iraq, establishing a safe haven to protect Kurds who opposed and unsuccessfully fought with the encouragement of the US a rebellion against the central government, while in 1992, the US restricted a similar area over southern Iraq after the US had encouraged an unsuccessful rebellion by Shiites in the south. In 1996 the US announced the expansion of the no-fly zone area up to 65 miles south of Baghdad as a result of Iraqi challenges to the zones and UN weapons inspections.

The UN has not released special resolutions concerning the two no-fly zone areas which cover more than half of the Iraqi territories. These areas were never explicitly authorized by the UN but the US says that they are sanctioned under UN resolution 688 that has provisions that call on Iraq to protect minorities.

The Iraqi representative to the Arab League presented an urgent note to the Arab League concerning the details of the incident on Tuesday in which a US plane launched a missile at an Iraqi target.

The note denied the account given by the US Department of Defense, which said that the rocket was intended to strike an Iraqi radar site that locked on to British planes which were on patrol over the no-fly zone in southern Iraq.

China, who is a permanent member of the UN Security Council, called for self-control over the incident of the US strike of the supposed radar site. Spokesman for the Chinese Foreign Ministry elaborated that his country pins great hopes on this matter and calls on all sides concerned for self-control so as to avoid a deterioration of conditions. China has also called for preserving stability in the Gulf region.

Meanwhile, Iraq severely criticized the declarations made by Kuwait's deputy prime minister and foreign minister, Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad, in which he called on Baghdad to adhere to all Security Council resolutions in addition to his call for the Gulf Cooperation Council states to express their concern over Iraq's non-implementation of essential aspects of these resolutions.

The official spokesman of the Iraqi Ministry of Culture and Information accused Kuwait "of working to prolong the unjust sanctions on the Iraqi people."

Previous Stories:
  Iraq accuses U.S. of hostile intent   (7/1/1998)
  Iraq's Hamdoon: We are sick and tired of this, as U.S. hits Iraqi site   (6/30/1998)
  Three Kuwaiti conditions for reconciliation with Iraq   (3/3/1998)

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