Baghdad calls for lift international sanctions

Iraqi Foreign Minister Mohammed Said al-Sahaf said, "Iraq will refuse any international resolution that does not state lifting up the siege rapidly."

This came in reply to the declaration of the US ambassador at the UN, Richard Holbrooke on approaching reaching an agreement in the Security Council regarding Iraq.

Al-Sahaf stated that more than nine years had passed with the sanctions and Iraq implemented all the Security Council's demands, therefore we are demanding our right stated in these resolutions which says if Iraq implemented all its commitments and got rid of the weapons of mass destruction, which he already done, then sanctions should be lifted.

He said that a system for future weapons monitoring was established since 1994, and all their demands were implemented regarding Kuwait in recognizing its international borders, and nothing remains but lifting up the sanctions by the council.