Iraqi National Council convenes extraordinary session

The Iraqi National Council today held an extraordinary session to discuss the decision taken by the UN Security Council to suspending periodical revisions of the sanctions imposed on Iraq.

The participants in the meeting recommended today totally cutting off relations with the UN committee in charge of dismantling banned Iraqi weapons, UNSCOM, and not dealing with it in any area unless the UN Security Council gives up the recent measures it has taken against Iraq.

Security Council members approved a statement recommending that Iraqi leadership totally sever relations with UNSCOM and not deal with it in any way unless the UN Security Council abrogates resolution no. 1194 taken on September 9. The UN Security Council had voted to stop reviews of the sanctions against Iraq in response to Iraq's suspension of cooperation with UNSCOM and the International Atomic Energy Agency inspectors. In effect, this UN decision makes impossible the removal of the sanctions against Iraq while the review process is stopped

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The statement added that in case the UN refuses to do so, the UN Security Council will be fully responsible for the consequences.

The Arab League Secretary-General Esmat Abdul Meguid has asserted that the decision taken by the UN Security Council to suspend periodical revision of the sanctions imposed on Iraq will make things more complicated in the current crisis between Iraq and UNSCOM.

In a statement he made in Cairo Sunday, the AL chief said that during their forthcoming meeting, the Arab foreign ministers will listen to a report from the Iraqi foreign minister on the crisis between Iraq and UNSCOM.