Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)

I was very pleased to have another conversation with this delegation of prominent, free Iraqis.

The most important thing for any captive people is to have a voice. The Baghdad regime has tried hard to silence the Iraqi people, and to hide the evidence of its crimes against them. This courageous group, visiting New York for the opening of the General Assembly, has shown that Saddam Hussein has failed.

These free Iraqi leaders told me of the regime's continuing daily oppression against all those Iraqis still subject to Baghdad's control. They emphasized their concern to relieve the suffering of the Iraqi people, while preventing any of their country's wealth from going back to Saddam Hussein for palaces and poison gas.

We particularly agreed on the need for Saddam Hussein to comply fully with UNSCR 688, among the other obligations imposed by the world community for the protection of the Iraqi people and their neighbors.

I was glad to hear that other governments will join us in listening to these brave, free voices of Iraq, as the UNGA considers how to support the Iraqi people against the depredations of their own government.

I hope other free countries will join in supporting the Iraqi people in recovering the country and setting it back in its rightful place among civilized nations.

Abdel-Aziz, Ehsan, Representative of the Islamic Movement of Kurdistan (IMK), Halabja, Iraqi-Kurdistan, member of INC National Assembly

Ali, Sheikh Mohammed Mohemmed Ali, independent Islamist, London, UK, member of INC Executive Council

Aliyan, Aziz, independent, London, UK, member of INC Executive Council

Al-Hussein, Sharif Ali Bin, Constitutional Monarchy Movement, London, UK, member of Centrist Democratic Movement

Allawi, Ayad, Secretary General of the Iraqi National Accord (INA Al-Wifaq), London, UK, member of INC Interim Presidency

Al-Naqib, General Hassan, independent, London, UK, member of INC Presidential Council

Al-Yawer, Riyadh, independent, London, UK, member of INC Interim Presidency

Barazani, Nechirvan, member of the politburo of the Kurdistan Democratic Party, Salahuddin, Iraqi-Kurdistan, member of INC National Assembly

Chalabi, Ahmed, independent, London, UK, member of INC Interim Presidency

Dhiya'i, Mustapha, Turkuman National Front, Ankara, Turkey

Mukhlis, Hatem, independent, New York, NY

Rashid, Latif, Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, Suleimaniya, Iraqi-Kurdistan, member of INC Interim Presidency

Shabander, Izzet, independent Islamist, Damascus, Syria, member of the Executive Council of the INC

Talabani, Jalal, General Secretary of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, Suleimaniya, Iraqi-Kurdistan, member of INC National Assembly

Yelda, Albert, independent Assyrian, London, UK, member of INC National Assembly

Zebari, Hoshyar, Kurdistan Democratic Pary, Salahuddin, Iraqi-Kurdistan, member of INC Interim Presidency