Iraqi Statements on Aug 5
Iraq NewsAUG 6, 1998
By Laurie MylroieThe central focus of Iraq News is the tension between the considerable, proscribed WMD capabilities that Iraq is holding on to and its increasing stridency that it has complied with UNSCR 687 and it is time to lift sanctions. If you wish to receive Iraq News by email, a service which includes full-text of news reports not archived here, send your request to Laurie Mylroie .
I. RCC/BA'TH PARTY STATEMENT, IRAQ SATELLITE TV, AUG 5 II. RECOMMENDATION OF NATIONAL ASSEMBLY, IRAQ SATELLITE TV, AUG 5 III. SENIOR OFFICIALS ADDRESS NATIONAL ASSEMBLY, INA, AUG 5 IV. IRAQIS, IN GOVERNORATES, SUPPORT GOV'T, INA, AUG 5 V. RAMADAN ADDRESSES BA'TH PARTY NATIONAL COMMAND, IRAQ RADIO, AUG 5 UNSCOM inspections were blocked today. Over the Memorial Day weekend, when it became apparent that the administration was quietly reducing US forces in the Gulf, one reader of "Iraq News," retired from DoD, remarked that come the next crisis, we would probably surge our spinmeisters before our forces. That seems to be so. With Bill Richardson in Wash DC, who is representing the US in NYC? The only US official yesterday to comment publicly on the new crisis was White House spokesman, P.J. Crowley. He said at yesterday's briefing, "What we've heard today from Iraq is a great deal of rhetoric. We've heard this bluster before. We've seen this petulance before. . . Since the end of the Gulf War, we have put Saddam Hussein in a very tight box. It's where he remains. Today, he is not a threat to his neighbors." Is that really so? Today's NYT reported that Amb. Butler, in his abortive trip to Iraq, never had any substantive discussions. Those accompanying him explained that "Aziz and his colleagues appeared relaxed, even smug, as they simply stated and restated what apparently had become a high-level policy line: that there was nothing left to talk about, that Iraq had ended all its weapons programs and that sanctions should be lifted without further ado." Jim Hoagland, today, writing about King Hussein, who is being treated for cancer at the Mayo Clinic, raised a different kind of Iraqi threat to the region, as Baghdad tries to influence the succession in Jordan, "The Iraqis have been engaged for months in a growing campaign to intimidate or destabilize the king. A series of mysterious murders in Amman, the execution of Jordanians convicted of 'economic crimes' in Baghdad and open political overtures to the king's extremist opposition are all thought to be part of this campaign. So is the Iraqi smuggling of arms into Jordan, which is said to have significantly increased since Hussein left Amman for the United States in mid-July." Yesterday, the RCC and Ba'th party leadership met and issued a statement, read over Iraq's satellite TV channel, following an extraordinary session of the Nat'l Assembly. The statement began, "In the name of God, the merciful, the compassionate, To those against whom war is made, permission is given to fight, because they are wronged; and verily, Allah is most powerful for their aid." The Iraqi leadership also quoted that Koranic verse in its belligerent May 1 letter to the UNSC [see "Iraq News," May 5]. Yesterday's statement explained, "Iraq has suffered throughout eight difficult years from an unjust and unfair blockade that is unprecedented in modern history. As the whole world knows, this blockade led to the death of millions of Iraqi citizens, children, women, and the elderly, and to depriving these great people of the simplest, basic humanitarian needs. It has also led to the deterioration of the economic and scientific structure the Iraqis have built with their efforts and money throughout tens of years. It also obstructed their legitimate right to development and progress and caused grave damage to the social structure in the country." The statement then explained that Iraq had agreed to and implemented the UNSC resolutions over "seven years of strenuous and hard work, including the losses and high costs, which were explained by the statement issued on 30 July 1998." The statement complained about US control of UNSCOM, which it charged "continues to fabricate false excuses to prolong its work without a specified end." It then detailed Iraq's complaints against the US, which "still insists on its criminal policy to keep the embargo in force in violation of the texts of Security Council resolutions and the principles of international law. The United States has flagrantly and rudely threatened the sovereignty, security, and territorial integrity of Iraq since 1991. It imposed an illegitimate no-fly zone on the south and north of Iraq, rudely announced its criminal intentions against Iraq, and allocated funds to finance illegitimate interference in the internal affairs of Iraq and acts of sabotage and terrorism in Iraq." The statement then explained, "In addition to previous warnings over the past years, we have been frankly, clearly, and truly warning over the past three months-since 1 May 1998-against the continuations of this situation and stressed that the leadership and people of Iraq cannot stand the continuation of his unjust situation. "These serious and true warnings, however, were neglected.... In light of this situation, which affirms that the embargo will remain in force regardless of what Iraq does or achieves with regard to the requirements of Security Council resolutions, the leadership studied this situation bearing in mind its letter to the Security Council on 1 May 1998, the speech by President Saddam Husayn, may God watch over him, on 17 July, and its statement on 30 July. In light of the decision of the National Assembly, and calls and stands of popular organizations, the leadership decided to make the following decisions. The statement then demanded that the UNSC restructure UNSCOM in three ways: 1) Establish a new "Executive Office that takes charge of leading and steering all UNSCOM activity and missions. It should comprise an equal number of permanent Security Council representatives, provided that the presidency in the office be periodic and that Iraq participate in the work of this office in the capacity of an observer." 2) Restructure UNSCOM offices in NYC, Bahrain, and Baghdad along the same lines. 3) Move UNSCOM's NYC office to Geneva or Vienna. The statement also demanded that the UNSC respect Iraq's sovereignty and legitimate rights; the UN charter; and Iraq's Feb 23 1998 Memorandum of Understanding with Kofi Annan. It demanded that the UNSC "punish those who violate these rules, including the permanent members who acted in violation of UN Security resolutions by forcing no-fly zones in northern and southern Iraq." Then, in point four, the statement explained that, while waiting for the UNSC "to take these fair and legitimate steps, Iraq fully suspends its cooperation with UNSCOM in its current status, as well as its cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency." The statement then qualified that, "As an expression of Iraq's good will and its sincere desire to see that its decisions are interpreted correctly and not wrongfully as to explain them as a nonabidance by Security Council resolutions ... Iraq agrees to maintain the monitoring activity during the period of time mentioned in number four above." Thus, in addition to halting inspections, Iraq has said it will end UNSCOM monitoring, if its demands are not met. Moreover, this restraint is "provided that the members who will be involved in the monitoring task abide firmly by the principles of respecting Iraqi sovereignty, security, and the dignity of its people, in accordance with the agreement signed between Iraq and the UN Secretary General on 23 February, 1998." Otherwise, "Iraq reserves its right to expel any individual of the monitoring team once that individual violates these legitimate principles." It looks like Baghdad is bent on the expulsion of all of UNSCOM. It should be remembered what happened last Nov, when Amb. Butler briefly withdrew all of UNSCOM following Iraq's expulsion of US inspectors, in the apparent belief that the US intended to attack Iraq. The Iraqis shut down the cameras, did want they liked with the equipment, and a kind of panic set in. Moreover, these are people with very serious grievances. The RCC/Party statement might be read as the initial elaboration of a causus belli. Prior to the RCC/Party leadership statement, the Nat'l Assembly met for six hours and issued a brief statement, unanimously authorizing the leadership "to take the necessary measures to protect Iraq's national interests," as Iraq's satellite TV channel reported. Several senior Iraqi officials addressed the Nat'l Assembly, as INA reported. Speaker of the Nat'l Assembly, Sadoun Hammadi, explained, "The only option we now have after the exposure of the objectives of the UNSCOM chief, which embody US policies, is to go back to the recommendations adopted by the National Assembly in October last year." Following the passage of UNSCR 1134, threatening to impose travel bans on Iraqi officials, the Nat'l Assembly met in a two day session, Oct 25 & 26, and recommended suspending cooperation with UNSCOM, paving the way for the Oct 29 announcement of Iraq's intent to expel US members of UNSCOM [see "Iraq News," Oct 25, 27, & 30]. INA also reported that Iraqis in the provinces of Iraq supported the "ideas enshrined in the statement issued at the end of a joint meeting of the Revolution Command Council and the Iraq Command of the Arab Socialist Ba'th Party. They also pledged to pool all their resources to confront plots in the defense of Iraq." Finally, Vice President Taha Yasin Ramadan, addressed the National [ie. pan-Arab] command of the Ba'th party, as Baghdad Radio reported. He spoke about the Jul 30 statement and "the decisions which will be announced shortly. These decisions, he said, were made yesterday at the joint meeting of the RCC and the Iraq Command after reviewing the outcome of the talks between the representatives of Iraq and UNSCOM." "He said Iraq's leadership and people will not stand idle before the US policy, which insists on killing the largest possible number of the sons of Iraq and exposing them to diseases and suffering after they have been patient for eight years and implemented all UNSCOM's requirements and all the UN Security Council resolutions. Despite this, he added the blockade is still weighing heavily on the chests of the Iraqis, eating up their bodies and killing their souls." I. RCC/BA'TH PARTY STATEMENT Baghdad, Iraq satellite channel in Arabic 1710 GMT, 5 Aug, 98 Announcer-read report over video [FBIS Translated Text] President Saddam Husayn, may God watch over him, today presided over another joint meeting of the Revolution Command Council [RCC] and the Iraq Command of the Arab Socialist Ba'th Party, during which the conferees discussed the statement issued by the National Assembly today and the calls made and stands adopted by the popular organizations, professional associations and parties in the country. The following statement was issued by the meeting: Statement issued by the RCC and the Iraq Command and of the Arab Socialist Ba'th Party. In the name of God, the merciful, the compassionate To those against whom war is made, permission is given to fight, because they are wronged; and verily, Allah is most powerful for their aid. [Koranic verse] O great mujahid people, sons of the glorious Arab nation, O free and fair men in the world, Iraq has suffered throughout eight difficult years from an unjust and unfair blockade that is unprecedented in modern history. As the whole world knows, this blockade led to the death of millions of Iraqi citizens, children, women, and the elderly, and to depriving these great people of the simplest basic humanitarian needs. It has also led to the deterioration of the economic and scientific structure the Iraqis have built with their efforts and money throughout tens of years. It also obstructed their legitimate right to development and progress and caused grave damage to the social structure in the country. Iraq has agreed on the UN Security Council resolutions and implemented them throughout seven years of strenuous and hard work, including the losses and high costs, which ware explained by the statement issued on 30 July 1998. Iraq has also fulfilled all its obligations with the objective of lifting this blockade, beginning with the implementation of Paragraph 22 of Resolution 687, and then starting to lift all kinds of the other blockades. However, the United States used all means and methods in order to maintain all forms of the unjust blockade on all walks of life and obstructed and rejected any measure at the UN Security Council that would lead to recognizing what Iraq has accomplished of the requirements of the UN Security Council resolutions and, consequently, to lifting this blockade, At the head of these means that the United States used is the UN Special Commission [UNSCOM]. The United States has control over UNSCOM, its leadership, activities, and methods of action. UNSCOM has become an exposed tool which implements the criminal US policy against Iraq, whether by fabricating pretexts and creating crises in order to maintain the blockade, or spying on Iraq and threatening its national security and sovereignty. Iraq has raised this issue throughout the past years, and many crises erupted, particularly during last year, since October 1997. These crises have continued until an agreement was reached with the UN secretary general on 23 February 1998. However, this agreement and all other efforts, which were exerted, failed to correct the situation or to change the picture. This commission continues to fabricate false excuses to prolong its work without a specified end. The United States, in a rude and exposed manner, still insists on its criminal policy to keep the embargo in force in violation of the texts of Security Council resolutions and the principles of international law. The United States has flagrantly and rudely threatened the sovereignty, security, and territorial integrity of Iraq since 1991. It imposed an illegitimate no-fly zone on the south and north of Iraq, rudely announced its criminal intentions against Iraq, and allocated funds to finance illegitimate interference in the internal affairs of Iraq and acts of sabotage and terrorism in Iraq. In addition to previous warnings over the past years, we have been frankly, clearly, and truly warning over the past three months--since 1 May 1998--against the continuation of this situation and stressed that the leadership and people of Iraq cannot stand the continuation of this unjust situation. We urged the Security Council, the UN secretary general, and the international community to adopt a just and firm stand to correct and end this situation and lift the unjust embargo imposed on Iraq. These serious and true warnings, however were neglected. The United States continued its criminal policy and stands. The Special Commission continued to serve this policy, and the latest meeting that was held between representatives of Iraq and the Specia1 Commission on 3 August 1998 proved this bitter fact when the chief of the Special Commission refused to officially admit the core facts about lraq's fulfillment of the requirements of Section C of Resolution 687 and inform the Security Council of them. These facts have been verified and known for several years. We also refer to the rejection by the United States of the proposals recently presented at the Security Council to move the nuclear file from the phase of disarmament to monitoring, although this is what has taken place since 1992. These proposals were supported by a large number of members of the Security Council. In light of this situation, which affirms that the embargo will remain in force regardless of what Iraq does or achieves with regard to the requirements of Security Council resolutions, the leadership studied this situation bearing in mind its letter to the Security Council on 1 May 1998, the speech by President Saddam Husayn, may God watch over him, on 17 July, and its statement on 30 July. In light of the decisions of the National Assembly, and calls and stands of popular organizations, unions, and professional and popular associations and parties in the country, the leadership decided to make the following decisions and inform the Security Council and the UN secretary general of them. 1. Given that Iraq has already fulfilled all its obligations as stated in part C of Resolution 687, Iraq calls on the Security Council to implement Article 22 of Resolution 687, as a first step toward the full and comprehensive lifting of the embargo. 2. Considering the fact that UNSCOM, in its current structure, is neither objective nor impartial, we demand that the Security Council restructure UNSCOM along the lines of the following principles: a. Forming a new Executive Office that takes charge of leading and steering all UNSCOM activity and missions. It should comprise an equal number of permanent Security Council representatives, provided that the presidency in the office be period and that Iraq participate in the work of this office in the capacity of an observer. b. Restructuring UNSCOM administrations in UNSCOM centers in New York, Bahrain, and Baghdad along the same lines. c. Transferring the UNSCOM center in New York to the UN headquarters in Geneva or Vienna in order to keep UNSCOM away from direct US influence. 3. The Security Council and all its members, particularly the permanent ones, must show full legal, political, and practical abidance to the Security Council resolutions, which provide for honoring Iraq's sovereignty and legitimate rights. The members must also abide by the UN charter and the memorandum of understanding signed between Iraq and the UN secretary general on 23 February 1998. The council must punish all those who violate these rules, including the permanent members who acted in violation of UN Security Council resolutions by forcing no-fly zones in northern and southern Iraq. 4. Awaiting the Security Council move to take these fair and legitimate steps, Iraq fully suspends its cooperation with UNSCOM in its current status, as well as its cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency [IAEA]. 5. In an expression of Iraq's good will and its sincere desire to see that its decisions are interpreted correctly and not wrongfully as to explain them as a nonabidance by Security Council resolutions and the previously-made pledges, Iraq agrees to maintain the monitoring activity during the period of time mentioned in number four above in accordance with the requirements stipulated in Resolution 715; provided that the members who will be involved in the monitoring task abide firmly by the principles of respecting Iraqi sovereignty, security, and the dignity of its people in accordance with the agreement signed between Iraq and the UN secretary general on 23 February 1998. Iraq reserves its right to expel any individual of the monitoring team once that individual violates these legitimate principles. O great people, O sons of our glorious nation, O valiant ones in our courageous Armed Forces, it is Iraq destiny to go through the trial of honor and values in the name of the cause of your nation and in the name of humanity. We are convinced that just as the Iraqi people have proved themselves in previous occasions, they will once again prove to the entire world that they are worth of carrying the honor of responsibility to win the satisfaction of God the merciful. They are worthy of shouldering the responsibility of to win the satisfaction of God the Merciful. They are worthy of shouldering the responsibility of humanity toward the unjust ones who have gone far in their injustice and aggression. God is able to come to their aid. God is great, and cursed be the lowly [dated] Baghdad 5 August 1998. II. RECOMMENDATION OF NATIONAL ASSEMBLY Baghdad Iraq Satellite channel in Arabic 1710 GMT 5 Aug 98 [Announcer-read report] [FBIS Translated Text] The National Assembly has recommended to stop dealing with the UN Special Commission and to put an end to its work in Iraq. After a 6-hour session, the members of the National Assembly unanimously agreed on authorizing the leadership to take the necessary measures to protect Iraq's national interests. III. SENIOR OFFICIALS ADDRESS NATIONAL ASSEMBLY Baghdad INA in Arabic 0905 GMT 5 Aug 98 [FBIS Translated Text] The National Assembly held an extraordinary session this morning to discuss the relations between Iraq and the UN Special Commission [UNSCOM]. The session is attended by Muhammad Sa'id a1 Sahhaf, foreign minister; Dr. Amir Muhammad Rashid, oil minister; Lieutenant General Amir al~Sa'di, adviser at the presidency; Dr. Riyad al-Qaysi, Foreign Ministry under secretary; and Husam Muhammad Amin, director general of the National Monitoring Directorate. At the beginning of the session, Assembly Speaker Dr. Sa'dun Hammadi reviewed Iraq's efforts to cooporate with UNSCOM and fulfill Iraq's obligations towards the UN Security Council to end the Iraqi people's tribulation as a result of the unjust embargo the United States has been imposing for eight years. Dr. Hammadi affirmed that UNSCOM deviated from its original mission when it submitted demands that are not related to disarmament to achieve political objectives and perpetuate the unjust embargo. Dr. Hammadi said: The only option we now have after the exposure of the objectives of the UNSCOM chief, which embody US po1icies, is to go back to the recommendations adopted by the National Assembly in October last year. Foreign Minister Muhammad Sa'id al-Sahhaf then reviewed the latest developments in the relationship with UNSCOM and Butler's determination not to inform the UN Security Council [UNSC] of the true Iraqi stand, of the fact that there has been no violations since 1994, and that UNSCOM has not found, felt, or seen any violation in the area of manufacturing banned weapons. He noted that UNSCOM, over seven years o£ work, inspected 9,340 sites, using 260 teams and modern equipment without finding anything that contravenes the Iraqi side of the story. The foreign minister affirmed that UNSCOM pursued a policy grounded in fabricating crises to delude the UNSC and the world public into believing that the work has not been completed due to the stand of the Iraqi authorities. Al-Sahhaf said that this policy by UNSCOM could lead to the perpetuation of the blockade as desired by the United States Oil Minister Amir Muhammad Rashid reviewed the technical aspect of the relationship with UNSCOM especially with regard to the missiles file, which reveals the methods pursued by the UNSCOM chairman and members which obviously and deliberately aim to prolong the unfair embargo in pursuit of the US Administration's policy with a view to starving the Iraqi people under flimsy pretexts despite the Iraqi efforts that managed to thwart these pretexts and expose them at the UNSC and before the world public. The oil minister added that the missiles file was settled a long time ago, and that former UNSCOM Chairman Rolf Ekeus called for closing it. He noted that the Iraqi side is in possession of the documents and evidence that confirm this fact. Rashid added: However, UNSCOM returned to question the veracity of these documents and to raise trivial issues, such as ink, paper, and numbers, and the need to check them at French laboratories, which could take four months to complete. The veracity of these documents and their age have been proved. Consequently, UNSCOM's intentions and premeditated anti-Iraq political purposes have been revealed. Lieutenant General Amir al-Sa'di, adviser at the Presidential office, said that UNSCOM is convinced that Iraq possesses no missile, biological, or chemical weapons. However, he said, it is carrying out a scenario that upholds the false accusation that Iraq does possess such weapons. A1~Sa'di added that such accusations were made up by the department for concealment and misleading, which was established at UNSCOM when the Iraqi technical team managed to embarrass the chairman and the members of UNSCOM and expose their false claims. Al-Sa'di refuted the UNSCOM lie that Iraq has possession of the VX factor. He said that this is a political game, which UNSCOM-at the incitement of the United States and the United Kingdom-is using as a means of maneuvering in order to perpetuate the unjust embargo for the longest period possible. Dr. Riyadh al-Qaysi, Foreign Ministry undersecretary, accused Butler of fabricating excuses. He said that during the talks held recently, Butler was lacking the seriousness necessary for cooperating with the Iraqi side, and particularly for closing the weapons file in order to move on to the permanent monitoring stage in accordance with the task he was commissioned to fulfill by the Security Council. Al-Qaysi explained that the UNSCOM Chairman took the work of UNSCOM back to square one denying the fact that Iraq make progress in implementing Security Council resolutions without any legal violations whatsoever. He said UNSCOM is involved in a political process and is playing an exposed game aimed at keeping the embargo clamped on Iraq intact. Major General Husam Muhammad Amin, director general of the National Monitoring Directorate, spoke about the type of provocative questions posed by UNSCOM members [word indistinct] during the inspection process. He said that the Iraqi side was very patient in tolerating them in order to expose the falsehood of the UNSCOM chairman's claims. Facts have proved that the UNSCOM chairman is implementing US policy. IV. IRAQIS, IN GOVERNORATES, SUPPORT GOV'T Baghdad INA in Arabic 1250 GMT 5 Aug 98 [FBIS Translated Text] The Governorates, 5 Aug (INA) Iraqis have denounced the positions of the United States, Britain, and the UN Special Commission [UNSCOM] which aim to perpetuate the sanctions and undermine Iraq's quest for development and its political choices. At gatherings held in Iraqi governorates, they commended the ideas enshrined in the statement issued at the end of a joint meeting of the Revolution Command Council and the Iraq Command of the Arab Socialist Ba'th Party. They also pledged to pool all their resources to confront plots in defense of Iraq. V. RAMADAN ADDRESSES BA'TH PARTY NATIONAL COMMAND Baghdad Republic of Iraq Radio Network in Arabic 1400 GMT 5 Aug 98 [FBIS Translated Text] Vice President Taha Yasin Ramadan, member of the National Command of the Arab Socialist Ba'th Party has met with the senior cadres in the national command. Members of the national command attended. Comrade Taha Yasin Ramadan reviewed Iraq's ties with the Security Council and the UN Special Commission and what this relationship has yielded over a period of eight years, since Iraq has fully cooperated with the Security Council and UNSCOM with respect to all UNSCOM duties. Iraq has also fulfilled all its commitments so that the embargo clamped on Iraq would be lifted completely. Ramadan pointed out that the Security Council and UNSCOM--which are under US hegemony and are implementing its hostile policy against the Iraqi people--have not fulfilled their obligation toward Iraq, according to the relevant international resolutions, including Resolution 687, providing that the Security Council implement the provisions on lifting the embargo imposed on the Iraqi people. Comrade Taha Yasin Ramadan spoke about the 30 July statement issued at the joint meeting of the Revolution Command Council [RCC] and the Iraq Command of the Arab Socialist Ba'th Party. He also spoke about the decisions, which will be announced shortly. These decisions, he said, were made yesterday at the joint meeting of the RCC and the Iraq command after reviewing the outcome of the talks between the representatives of Iraq and UNSCOM and after taking into consideration UNSCOM's insistence on pursuing the same style of fabricating maneuvers and procrastination in order to keep the embargo imposed on the Iraqi people and to serve the US blatant hostile scheme. He said Iraq's leadership and people will not stand idle before the US policy, which insists on killing the largest possible number of the sons of Iraq and exposing them to diseases and suffering after they have been patient for eight years and implemented all UNSCOM's requirements and all the UN Security Council resolutions. Despite this, he added the blockade is still weighing heavily on the chests of the Iraqis, eating up their bodies, and killing their souls. He affirmed that the Iraqi leadership and people will take measures to protect Iraq's legitimate national interests, which will never be relinquished, regardless of how strong conspiracies and aggressions may be. Comrade Taha Yasin Ramadan spoke about the strong pan-Arab stand adopted by the sons of the Arab nation in all its arenas and cities, and their support for their Iraqi brothers in all chapters of their confrontation against the blockade. He said the Iraqis exposed the lies and claims of the US politicians and their agents in UNSCOM, who fabricate crises to threaten Iraq and to carry out an aggression against it. He added that the stand of the sons of Arabism is as comrade leader Saddam Husayn has always known it to be, saying that in his fighting, President Saddam Husayn relies on the Arab nation and the resources of its sons. He said the Arab stand will be more effective in defending Iraq and confronting the declared hostile po1icy pursued by the US Administration against the Iraqi people. He added that this policy was exposed to the world public opinion, including the US public opinion. He said the Arab and international stands developed in favor of Iraq in speaking about the United States isolation and UNSCOM chairman Butler's frustration due to the false information he gives, his submission to US hegemony, and execution of the hostile US policy against the Iraqi people. Attending the meeting were the comrade director of the General Secretariat of the Ba'th Party National Command and head and members of the National Cultural Bureau of the Party.
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