Saddam Hussein: Iraqi sanctions are crumbling
Iraq, Politics, 7/17/1998

In a speech delivered by Iraqi President Saddam Hussein today on the occasion of celebrating the 30th anniversary of the Iraqi revolution (July 17-30, 1968), Hussein renewed his confirmation that the sanctions imposed upon Iraq will not be lifted up by a collective decision from the UN Security Council, saying that they have actually begun to crumble, and will get loose gradually.

He added that Iraq stresses that the message it sent to the joint meeting of the Baath party and the revolution's leadership council last May to the UN Security council and to the UN Secretary General was not only a call of protest, rather an expression of the determination. In the said message Iraq had warned the prolonged UN sanctions against Iraq will result in grave consequences. However, the Iraqi President did not mention what measures Iraq will take should sanctions will not be lifted by coming December.

The Iraqi president spoke about the Palestinian issue and the role played by the Arab League since its establishment. He also spoke about the 1996 Arab summit in Cairo, referring to the summit's resolutions, saying that one of its most important resolutions was the goal of the US and its supporters in continuing the sanctions on Iraq under UN Security Council resolutions.

Hussein explained the attitude of Iraq toward convening an Arab summit as is currently under discussion, saying that Iraq will accept being an obstacle in the way of convening a serious Arab meeting on the level of a summit, in which they will decide the position of the Arab states toward one another, their friends and enemies. Then he called for convening the summit meetings at a specified place and date, regardless of whether there are disputes or agreement on these matters.

Previous Stories:
  Damascus upset over Washington's opposition to Iraqi oil exports from Banias   (7/16/1998)
  Iraq protests against US surveillance planes' violations   (7/9/1998)
  Hamdoon: Iraq may reconsider policy toward UNSCOM if sanctions remain   (6/25/1998)

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