Wizdom
27-01-03, 13:59
Iraq says it has 'done everything' to avoid war
Monday, January 27, 2003 Posted: 8:14 AM EST (1314 GMT)
Iraqi Foreign Minister Naji Sabri branded the Bush administration "evil."
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VIDEO
CNN's Nic Robertson reports on the first 60 days of U.N. inspections in Iraq. (January 26)
PLAY VIDEO
SPECIAL REPORT
• Interactive: U.S. military deployments
• Timeline: U.N. weapons inspections
• Interactive: U.N. Security Council on Iraq
• Maps: Suspected weapons facilities
• Map: Potential U.S. military bases
• Latest developments: Iraq Tracker
• Document: Iraqi weapons declaration
BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- Hours before the U.N. Security Council was to receive a progress report Monday on Iraq disarmament, Iraq's foreign minister said the country has cooperated with U.N. weapons inspectors and done everything to avoid a "war of destruction" with the United States.
"We have done everything possible to let this country and the whole region avoid the danger and the threat of war and destruction by the warmongers of Washington and their ally [British Prime Minister] Tony Blair," said Iraqi Foreign Minister Naji Sabri.
"We are saying that our cooperation has been a super cooperation, not just a proactive cooperation."
Sabri accused the United States of escalating the situation and called the Bush White House an "evil administration."
"This administration dreams of controlling the whole world. By controlling this region, they are dreaming of dominating the whole world," Sabri said.
The foreign minister vehemently denied charges that Iraq may have ties to al Qaeda.
"America's allegations that Iraq has links to terrorism are all lies to hide America's true intentions," Sabri said. "America's accusations that Iraq has weapons of mass destruction [are] false because America's sole interest is in Iraq's oil resources."
Chief U.N. weapons inspector Hans Blix and Mohamed ElBaradei of the International Atomic Energy Agency are scheduled Monday to deliver a 60-day report on the progress of Iraq's U.N.-mandated compliance with Resolution 1441.
The resolution orders Baghdad to disclose all weapons of mass destruction and related materials. U.N. inspectors have been searching for evidence of such weapons since November. Inspections continued Monday in Iraq, with monitors going to at least four different sites.
U.S. officials have said Iraq is in "material breach" of the resolution, and the State Department has begun drafting the text of a possible second U.N. resolution that would authorize military action to force Iraq to disarm, CNN has learned.
The measure would be introduced only if the United States thinks it has the support of at least nine of the 15 Security Council members for a war. Under U.N. rules, there must be nine votes of support for the resolution to pass. There can be no vetoes from any of the five permanent Security Council members.
Monday, January 27, 2003 Posted: 8:14 AM EST (1314 GMT)
Iraqi Foreign Minister Naji Sabri branded the Bush administration "evil."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Story Tools
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
VIDEO
CNN's Nic Robertson reports on the first 60 days of U.N. inspections in Iraq. (January 26)
PLAY VIDEO
SPECIAL REPORT
• Interactive: U.S. military deployments
• Timeline: U.N. weapons inspections
• Interactive: U.N. Security Council on Iraq
• Maps: Suspected weapons facilities
• Map: Potential U.S. military bases
• Latest developments: Iraq Tracker
• Document: Iraqi weapons declaration
BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- Hours before the U.N. Security Council was to receive a progress report Monday on Iraq disarmament, Iraq's foreign minister said the country has cooperated with U.N. weapons inspectors and done everything to avoid a "war of destruction" with the United States.
"We have done everything possible to let this country and the whole region avoid the danger and the threat of war and destruction by the warmongers of Washington and their ally [British Prime Minister] Tony Blair," said Iraqi Foreign Minister Naji Sabri.
"We are saying that our cooperation has been a super cooperation, not just a proactive cooperation."
Sabri accused the United States of escalating the situation and called the Bush White House an "evil administration."
"This administration dreams of controlling the whole world. By controlling this region, they are dreaming of dominating the whole world," Sabri said.
The foreign minister vehemently denied charges that Iraq may have ties to al Qaeda.
"America's allegations that Iraq has links to terrorism are all lies to hide America's true intentions," Sabri said. "America's accusations that Iraq has weapons of mass destruction [are] false because America's sole interest is in Iraq's oil resources."
Chief U.N. weapons inspector Hans Blix and Mohamed ElBaradei of the International Atomic Energy Agency are scheduled Monday to deliver a 60-day report on the progress of Iraq's U.N.-mandated compliance with Resolution 1441.
The resolution orders Baghdad to disclose all weapons of mass destruction and related materials. U.N. inspectors have been searching for evidence of such weapons since November. Inspections continued Monday in Iraq, with monitors going to at least four different sites.
U.S. officials have said Iraq is in "material breach" of the resolution, and the State Department has begun drafting the text of a possible second U.N. resolution that would authorize military action to force Iraq to disarm, CNN has learned.
The measure would be introduced only if the United States thinks it has the support of at least nine of the 15 Security Council members for a war. Under U.N. rules, there must be nine votes of support for the resolution to pass. There can be no vetoes from any of the five permanent Security Council members.