Iraqi leadership refuses UN Security Council suggestion
Iraq-UN, Politics, 2/1/1999

The Iraqi leadership announced its absolute refusal to three suggestions recently ratified by the United Nations Security Council that include removing the Iraqi prohibited weapons, the human status in Iraq, and the war captives' dossier of 1991.

After one month of disputes over the British - US attacks against Iraq, the UN Security Council reached an agreement which was described by Russia as "fragile" concerning the evaluation of the process of dismantling Baghdad's weapons, which was the main sticking point.

The Iraqi statement assured Iraq's insistence on the necessity of lifting UN economic sanctions immediately and unconditionally and that the Security Council condemns the continuing attacks currently by US and British jets in the no-fly zones over Iraq and stopping these attacks.

Meanwhile, Kuwaiti Prime Minister Sheikh Saad al-Abdullah al-Sabah held talks in Kuwait tonight with United States Undersecretary of State for Near East Affairs Martin Indyk, who is making a tour of the Gulf.

This visit coincided with a visit made by Frank Ricciardone, the US official authorized to implement the Iraqi opposition's activity.

Indyk headed today to Oman where he will discuss with the officials there developments in the Iraqi crisis and supporting the Iraqi opposition.

The proposal would have established three committees that would report on different phases of the UN's efforts regarding Iraq and deliver the UN Security Council recommendations before April 15. These committees would be in charge of establishing an effective system to dismantle the Iraqi weapons.

Iraq, for its part, said this formula is a form of "deception in order not to lift the embargo imposed on Iraq."

An Iraqi official spokesman said the UN Security Council's formation of three committees on Iraq whose work would last for several months would only be a means of perpetuating the "siege." The spokesman called upon the UN Security Council to condemn and halt the aggression and honor Iraq's sovereignty and national security as well as to abstain from interference in its internal affairs.

Meanwhile, a statement by the US troops positioned at the Turkish Incirlik said that a US F-16 warplane that took off from the base dropped on Sunday a missile on an Iraqi radar position in the "no-fly zone" area.

A source in the British Foreign Ministry said that US and British warplanes dropped several bombs on a ground target in southern Iraq, claiming that their warplanes were exposed to threats from an Iraqi plane while flying in the "no-fly zone" of southern Iraq.

On the other hand, Western diplomats expected that the agreement concluded by the UN Security Council on Saturday on dismantling the Iraqi weapons would lead to further disputes between the US and Russia.

The Security Council's chairman said, "The council's members agreed to form three committees to evaluate the relations between Iraq and the UN," adding it is "the first, but most difficult step."

The agreement rules out keeping UNSCOM's current chairman, as Moscow calls for removing him.

Previous Stories:
  Arab League chief, al-Sharaa discuss the situation in Iraq   (1/29/1999)
  Moroccan party calls for lifting embargo against Iraq   (1/27/1999)
  On US attempts to topple Saddam   (1/27/1999)
  Iraqi dailies criticize Arab foreign ministers' decisions   (1/26/1999)

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