Baghdad renews warning against perpetuated sanctions
Iraq, Politics, 7/22/1998

Baghdad on Tuesday warned that it will not accept the perpetuated embargo imposed on Iraq for eight years. This announcement was made just prior to the visit made by UNSCOM's chief, Richard Butler, to Baghdad.

A statement released by a joint meeting of the Council of the Iraqi Revolution and Baath Party leaders chaired by President Saddam Hussein warned that any "political or technical act from any side intended to obstruct the lifting of the embargo will be strongly confronted by the Iraqi leadership and people, alike."

The statement added that Baghdad will not accept any side -- including the US or UNSCOM -- using any pretexts as means of distorting Iraq's stances to divert the attention of the world public opinion and extend the sanctions.

The Iraqi News Agency (INA) said that Iraq has issued a strong warning that it cannot accept the continuation of the measures, which have lasted eight years. It added that, "Iraq cannot accept the use by any party whether America or the UN weapons inspectors of any marginal or secondary excuses for pretexts as a cover, to prolong the sanctions."

Iraq presented a complaint to the United Nations Security Council over what it called the continuous US aggressive attempts which interfering in Iraqi interior affairs.

In a message sent by Iraqi Foreign Minister Mohammed Said al-Sahaf to the Security Council, in which Iraq urged it to take the procedures necessary to guarantee its sovereignty, territorial integrity, and political independence as well as to confront the policy practiced by the U.S. in regard to Iraq.

Earlier this week, Iraq's foreign minister Al-Sahaf referred to a report recently published by the Wall Street Journal newspaper, which has confirmed that the US government asked congress' approval to finance covert operations against the Iraqi President Saddam Hussein. Al-Sahaf complained that the UN Security Council had failed to respond to what he described as "interference in the internal affairs of Iraq." The message sent to the UN added that the US is a permanent member at the UN Security Council. That means, he noted, it has to honor the UN charter.

These reports of US measures to destabilize Iraq came at a time at which Iraq had announced its refusal to continue with the economic sanctions imposed on it since 1991 if the UN inspection team does not finish its work and certify Iraq as having complied with the relevant UN resolutions.

Previous Stories:
  Kuwait says Iraqis' hunger is result of Iraqi system   (7/22/1998)
  Saddam Hussein: Iraqi sanctions are crumbling   (7/17/1998)
  Hamdoon: Iraq may reconsider policy toward UNSCOM if sanctions remain   (6/25/1998)

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