DATE=1/27/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-244757
TITLE=ALBRIGHT / IRAQ (L)
BYLINE=SCOTT BOBB
DATELINE=CAIRO
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: U-S SECRETARY OF STATE MADELEINE ALBRIGHT HAS ARRIVED IN
SAUDI ARABIA, WHERE SHE IS TO HOLD TALKS WITH SAUDI LEADERS ON
IRAQ. HER VISIT TO RIYADH COMES AFTER A STOP IN CAIRO, WHERE SHE
VOWED TO CONTINUE EFFORTS TO CONTAIN THE REGIME OF IRAQI
PRESIDENT SADDAM HUSSEIN, WHILE AT THE SAME TIME SEEKING TO DO
MORE TO HELP THE IRAQI PEOPLE. SHE MADE THE REMARKS FOLLOWING
HER MEETING IN CAIRO (WEDNESDAY) WITH EGYPT'S PRESIDENT HOSNI
MUBARAK. DETAILS FROM CORRESPONDENT SCOTT BOBB IN THE EGYPTIAN
CAPITAL.
TEXT: MRS ALBRIGHT TOLD REPORTERS THAT EGYPT AND THE UNITED
STATES SHARE COMMON GOALS CONCERNING IRAQ. THEY WANT TO CONTAIN
IRAQ'S AGGRESSIVE POLICIES, PREVENT IT FROM REBUILDING ITS
WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION, AND EASE THE SUFFERING OF THE IRAQI
PEOPLE.
SHE TOLD A NEWS CONFERENCE IN CAIRO THAT ARAB NATIONS AND THE
INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY HAVE NO CHOICE BUT TO SEEK TO CONTAIN
WHAT SHE CALLED POTENTIAL IRAQI AGGRESSION. AT THE SAME TIME,
SHE PLEDGED TO DO MORE TO PROVIDE THE IRAQI PEOPLE WITH FOOD AND
MEDICINE UNDER THE "OIL-FOR-FOOD" PROGRAM.
EGYPT'S FOREIGN MINISTER AMR MOUSSA TOLD REPORTERS ARAB NATIONS
AGREE WITH THE U-S GOVERNMENT ON THE NEED TO RESPECT IRAQ'S
TERRITORIAL INTEGRITY AND TO CARE FOR THE IRAQI PEOPLE.
THE U-S OFFICIAL'S VISIT COMES AMID RISING TENSIONS IN THE
REGION. CLASHES BETWEEN U-S WARPLANES AND IRAQI AIR DEFENSE
SYSTEMS HAVE INCREASED IN RECENT DAYS. U-S OFFICIALS ACKNOWLEDGE
A MISSILE FROM ONE OF THEIR PLANES MISTAKENLY HIT A RESIDENTIAL
AREA NEAR THE SOUTHERN CITY OF BASRA MONDAY. IRAQ SAYS SEVERAL
MISSILES KILLED 11 CIVILIANS AND WOUNDED DOZENS OF OTHERS.
WHILE MRS ALBRIGHT EXPRESSED REGRET OVER THE CIVILIAN CASUALTIES,
SHE DEFENDED THE RECENT ATTACKS SAYING U-S PILOTS HAVE A RIGHT TO
DEFEND THEMSELVES FROM IRAQI ARTILLERY.
IRAQI OFFICIALS HAVE ALSO INDICATED THEY DO NOT INTEND TO BACK
DOWN IN THE RISING CONFRONTATION. IRAQI VICE PRESIDENT TAHA
YASSIN RAMADAN WEDNESDAY VOWED IRAQI FORCES WILL CONTINUE TO
CHALLENGE U-S AIR PATROLS OVER IRAQI SKIES.
IN ADDITION, THE IRAQI PARLIAMENT ADOPTED A RESOLUTION WEDNESDAY
CALLING FOR THE OVERTHROW OF THE GOVERNMENTS OF KUWAIT AND SAUDI
ARABIA FOR ALLOWING WESTERN MILITARY BASES ON THEIR SOIL.
///REST OPT.///
IRAQ INCREASINGLY HAS LASHED OUT AT ARAB GOVERNMENTS FOR REFUSING
TO CONDEMN WESTERN AIR STRIKES AGAINST IT DURING AN ARAB LEAGUE
MEETING IN CAIRO LAST SUNDAY. ARAB FOREIGN MINISTERS ADOPTED A
RESOLUTION AT THAT MEETING, EXPRESSING CONCERN OVER WESTERN
MILITARY ACTIONS BUT CALLING ON IRAQ TO CEASE ITS AGGRESSIVE
POLICIES AND ABIDE BY U-N RESOLUTIONS. (SIGNED)
NEB/SB/PCF/KL
27-Jan-99 11:41 AM EST (1641 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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