Albright meets with Russia's Ivanov, Iraqi opposition
Iraq, Politics, 9/22/1999

US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright said the United States had been working to reestablish the consensus that existed on the Security Council regarding Iraq.

In a joint conference on Monday with Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov, Ivanov said that Russia was pursuing a common objective with regard to Iraq. "Our interest is to secure the full and complete implementation of the relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions," he said, "particularly in terms of elimination of the weapons of mass destruction and prevention of their reappearance there."

Ivanov added regarding the British-Dutch draft resolution on disarming Iraq that Russia "in the Security Council is actively involved now with the development of the Security Council resolution on Iraq. The fact that we work together is of a principal importance because we pursue common objectives."

Ivanov said "Our interest is to secure the full and complete implementation of the relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions, particularly in terms of elimination of the weapons of mass destruction and prevention of their reappearance there. All members of the Security Council have an interest in finding a collective solution, and it is in no one's interest to have these questions as a cause for a new confrontation. This is one of the issues that we will be discussing tonight."

Albright for her part said "I think that what the Foreign Minister has said is very important because it has been our goal to try to reestablish the consensus that existed on the Security Council with regard to issues to do with Iraq. And we will be, obviously, talking about that. From our perspective it is very important to see full compliance by Iraq."

Meantime, Albright on Monday in New York expressed her backing to a delegation representing opposition to the regime of the Iraqi President Saddam Hussein. This was made on the sideline of the works of the UN General Assembly on which the sanctions imposed on Iraq constitute one of the main and sensitive issues listed on its works agenda.

Albright said in a statement "I was very pleased to have another conversation with this delegation of prominent, free Iraqis. The most important thing for any captive people is to have a voice. The Baghdad regime has tried hard to silence the Iraqi people, and to hide the evidence of its crimes against them. This courageous group, visiting New York for the opening of the General Assembly, has shown that Saddam Hussein has failed. These free Iraqi leaders told me of the regime's continuing daily oppression against all those Iraqis still subject to Baghdad's control."

This Iraqi opposition delegation includes some 20 figures, members in secular, Islamic and national organizations, representing Iraq 'Kurdistan's district and the Shiite part of southern Iraq. Among members of the delegation are the leader of the Kurdistan's national federation Jalal al-Talibani who headed to New York via Iran and Neir Sheigan Barazani, a relative of Masoud Barzani, who presides over the Kurdistani democratic party. In a statement issued following the meeting with Albright, the Iraqi national conference which includes several Iraqi opposition organizations said that the delegation encourages the government of the US to pressure in order to take practical measures to alleviate the sufferings of the Iraqi people who live under the regime of Saddam Hussein.

The statement added that the Iraqi opposition delegation will hold other meetings with officials from European and Middle East states in order to pursue a tough policy with Baghdad.

Previous Stories:
  Opposition: Iraqi vice president escapes assassination attempt   (9/21/1999)
  Iraq refuses any UN Security Council resolution   (9/21/1999)
  Iraqi parliament opposes return of UN inspectors   (9/20/1999)

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