Iraq is ready to face US
Iraq said yesterday it was ready, if necessary, to face any US military action over its banning of Americans from UN arms inspection teams, but added that it does not seek a confrontation with the United States. "We are not looking for a confrontation with the United States, but if this country wants to undertake an action, Iraq is ready," said Sultan Al Shawi, chairman of the Iraqi Parliament's Legal Committee.
"We are telling the whole world that we accepted and have responded to all the UN Security Council resolutions," Shawi said. "The Security Council should fulfill its commitments in accordance with clause 22 of Resolution 687 and lift the embargo." The UN embargo has been imposed on Iraq since it invaded Kuwait in 1990.
While the United States and Great Britain did not rule out any option, including the possible use of force, to bring the Iraqi leadership back into line on the UN issue, Russia and France expressed hope the crisis would be resolved peacefully.
Russian Foreign Minister Yevgeny Primakov said that Moscow would "strongly object" to any use of force against Baghdad although it expelled and barred US members of the UN Special Commission (UNSCOM) on disarmament.
In Paris, Foreign Ministry spokesman Jacques Rummelhardt said: "France seeks to avoid an escalation." He said Paris was determined to examine, together with its partners, all means to calm down the situation and "allow dialogue to prevail over confrontation."
Iraq's ruling Baath Party newspaper said the leadership had taken the decision to bar Americans from the inspection teams after losing all hope that sanctions against the country would be lifted. It added that Iraq is "ready to cooperate with the UN Special Commission for disarmament but not with members of American nationality."
Iraq had announced on Wednesday it was barring US nationals from working in the country with UNSCOM and gave 10 US arms inspectors until November 5 to leave.
The UN Security Council immediately denounced Iraq's move as "unacceptable" and warned of "serious consequences" if Baghdad failed to comply with UN disarmament requirements.
On Thursday, Iraqi authorities forced two US inspectors who landed at UNSCOM's airfield outside Baghdad to return to Bahrain after denying them entry.
UNSCOM chairman Richard Butler, the top UN disarmament inspector for Iraq, suspended UNSCOM inspectors in Iraq, although staff rotation and office work continued. Butler has announced that inspections will resume on Monday and that US citizens will participate.
Iraq's move against US weapons inspectors came six days after the Security Council adopted a resolution threatening an international travel ban against specific Iraqi officials who obstruct UNSCOM inspections.