Iraq Urges UN to Stand Up to U.S. on Inspections

04/08/2002| IslamWeb

UPDATED||HIGHLIGHTS: Taha Yassin Ramadan: 'Offer is genuine.'||Bush Dismisses Baghdad's Arms Inspection Offer||Germany, Saudi Arabia and Iran Voice Concern|| STORY: Iraq's press urged U.N. members on Sunday to stand up to the United States and accept Baghdad's offer to hold talks with weapons inspectors.

"All members of the United Nations must fulfil their responsibilities and stand up to this destructive, aggressive American tendency and strongly back Iraq's new initiative...to eliminate all doubts and reveal the fabricated American-British lies," al-Thawra newspaper said in an editorial.

Iraq on Thursday invited chief U.N. weapons inspector Hans Blix to visit Baghdad for technical talks, hinting it could lead to a resumption of inspections for the first time since 1998.

"The declared American-British position toward the Iraqi move...proves that what they are trying to achieve has nothing to do with inspections or non-existent weapons of mass destruction," said Babel daily, owned by Saddam's son Uday.

"They are trying...to hide behind a worn-out curtain of false claims to achieve despised colonial goals that are rejected by the international community," it added.

MIDEAST BUBBLES OVER U.S.-IRAQ CONFRONTATION

The United States accused Iraq on Saturday of trying to dodge its commitments to the United Nations on disarmament, while Baghdad insisted its offer of talks with U.N. arms control inspectors was genuine.

But the U.S. aim of toppling President Saddam Hussein from power in Baghdad also drew fresh warnings from Europe and the Middle East against a military assault on Iraq.

Germany, Saudi Arabia and Iran all voiced concern.

BUSH DISMISSES BAGHDAD'S OFFER

Two days after Iraq opened the door to renewed United Nations weapons inspections, President George W. Bush shrugged off the offer. "Nothing's changed," he said Saturday.

Bush, leaving a Republican fund-raiser in which he reiterated that his administration "will defend freedom no matter what the cost," was asked about Iraq.

"You heard what I said in there," he told reporters. "I'm a patient man. I'll use all the tools at our disposal. Nothing's changed."

In a surprise move on Thursday, Saddam Hussein's government invited the chief U.N. weapons inspector to Baghdad, hinting that inspections could be renewed after nearly four years. The gesture comes as talk of U.S. military action against Saddam has been escalating.

Secretary of States Colin Powell said in Manila on an Asian tour he believed Iraqi President Saddam Hussein was trying to stall for .

"Inspections are not the issue, disarmament is the issue and making certain that they have no weapons of mass destruction and they did what they were supposed to do but know we know they haven't," Powell told reporters traveling with him.

"EVIL PLOT" TO TOPPLE SADDAM

Iraqi Vice-President Taha Yassin Ramadan told a Dubai-based satellite channel on Saturday that Baghdad's invitation for talks was genuine. He accused President Bush of fomenting "an evil plot" to topple Saddam.

In Moscow, Russia's Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Saltanov told RIA news agency that Iraq's talks proposal was a step forward and he urged the world community to take full advantage of it.

CONCERN OVER MILITARY ACTION

The threat of military action has caused concern in a number of countries.

Saudi Arabia, a major U.S. Middle East ally, and Iran both opposed a possible attack on Iraq.

"We have a common position with Iran, Iran's state television quoted Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal on his arrival in Tehran on Saturday for a day of talks.

"We oppose any military attack against Islamic and regional countries and we are both opposed to any American military attack against Iraq," he was quoted as saying.

"If such dangerous phenomena (use of force) become an ordinary occurrence, then no government and nation will feel safe from powerful countries," Iranian President Mohammad Khatami said during his talks with Prince Saud.

Germany also warned on Saturday against an attack on Iraq.

"I can only warn against talking about or considering war against Iraq without thinking of the consequences and without a political concept for the whole Middle East," Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder told a rally of his Social Democrat party in Hanover.

PHOTO CAPTION

(Top: L) Iranian President Mohammad Khatami, right, shakes hand with Saudi Arabian Foreign Minister Sheik Saud Al-Faisal during their official meeting in Tehran, Iran, Saturday, Aug. 3, 2002. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)

(Top: R) President Bush leans over a fence to greet children in Scarborough, Maine, Saturday, Aug. 3, 2002, where he had just finished campaigning on behalf of Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)
- Aug 03 7:28 PM ET

(Bottom: L)) Iraqi President Saddam Hussein, center, meets Friday night, Aug, 2, 2002, with high-ranking Iraqi officials, from left to right, Izzat Ibrahim, Deputy Prime Minister Tariq Aziz, National Assembly Speaker Sadoun Hamadi, Lt. Gen. Abd Humud, Ali Hassan al-Majeed, and Iraqi Vice President Taha Yassin Ramadan. (AP Photo/INA)

(Bottom: R) German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder of the Social Democrats (SPD) clenches a fist during a speech at a campaign rally in Hanover, northern Germany, Saturday, Aug. 3, 2002. The German leader expressed concern over U.S. plans against Iraq- Aug 03 8:33 AM ET