Aziz: Iraq ready to cooperate on return of UN inspectors

The secretary general of the UN Kofi Annan on Tuesday in Johannesburg, South Africa, met with the Iraqi deputy premier, on the sideline of the earth summit in South Africa in order to hold talks concerning the arising crisis between his country and the US.

The Iraqi deputy prime minister Tareq Aziz said on Tuesday that Iraq is ready to reconsider the return back of UN inspectors in the framework of a comprehensive settlement for the differences with the UN.

Following his meeting with the UN secretary General Kofi Annan in Johannesburg, Aziz said that the issue of the inspectors is not the only problem, noting that the sanctions, the continued aggression and the threats to launch the war, all are problems which are debated on the table of discussion.

He added " Ihave informed Annan that if any one has a magic solution enabling him to deal with all these issues altogether, equally, then we are ready to discuss the solution and we are ready to co-operate with the UN."

Aziz stressed that Iraq views the American threats to Iraq with great seriousness and is preparing to defend its sovereignty.