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Text of Letter From UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan to Saddam Hussein

The following is the text, released Saturday, of a letter sent by United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan to Iraqi President Saddam Hussein late Friday.

"As you may know already, I interrupted an official visit to North Africa (Thursday) and returned to New York in view of the worsening crisis with regard to Iraq. This afternoon and evening, I met with the members of the Security Council for four hours in order to review the situation. I can report to you that without exception, all the members of the Security Council expressed preference for a diplomatic solution of the crisis. As you are aware, I have made continuous efforts myself over the past three months to bring about such a solution.

"The Security Council also unanimously endorsed the press statement I issued in Marrakech on November 11 in which I addressed a personal appeal to you, Mr. President, to take the necessary steps for a diplomatic solution to become possible. For ease of reference, I am reproducing below the text of this press statement.

"I am saddened and burdened by the Iraqi decision of August 5 and October 31 not to cooperate with UNSCOM (the U.N. Special Commission).

"I strongly urge President Saddam Hussein and the Iraqi government to rescind its decision and resume immediate cooperation with UNSCOM and the IAEA ."

"Iraq has maintained for a long time that it wants to see light at the end of the tunnel. I also want to see the lifting of sanctions, so that Iraq can regain its place among the community of nations. As I have said repeatedly, the only way to achieve this is for Iraq to fully cooperate with U.N. Security Council. The Security Council had agreed a way forward on a comprehensive review. I firmly believe that this offers Iraq genuine opportunity. The comprehensive review will map out the remaining steps, provided Iraq cooperates, thus allowing them to see light at the end of the tunnel.

"The Iraqi leadership's decision not to cooperate with UNSCOM at a time when the Council was undertaking these efforts came as a surprise to me and, I suspect, to all Council members.

"I, therefore, appeal once again to President Saddam Hussein and the Iraqi leadership to take this opportunity to resume cooperation with UNSCOM and the IAEA. This would be good for the Iraqi people, for the region and for the world.

"The Security Council remains actively seized of the matter. I should, therefore, be grateful for an early response to my appeal."