DATE=11/1/1999
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=IRAQI OPPOSITION WRAP (L-ONLY)
NUMBER=2-255710
BYLINE=BARBARA SCHOETZAU
DATELINE=NEW YORK
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: The United States has pledged support for an
increasingly united coalition of groups opposed to
Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein. The coalition -- called
the Iraqi National Congress -- ended a four-day
meeting (Monday) in New York. Correspondent Barbara
Schoetzau reports.
TEXT: More than 300 delegates at a meeting organized
by the Iraqi National Congress debated ways to
overthrow Saddam Hussein and how to rebuild Iraq
afterwards. But the overarching objective of the
meeting was to unite a broad range of separate and
often fractious opposition groups into a strong,
streamlined force.
Sharif Ali Bin Al Hussein of the Constitutional
Monarchy Movement is one the seven-person team elected
to lead the newly expanded Iraqi National Congress. He
says the meeting succeeded beyond expectations,
creating a sense of community and unity within the
opposition.
/// HUSSEIN ACT ///
The opposition is a work in progress. This is
one step in many and we shall continue the
dialog to bring as many elements of Iraqi
communities both inside and outside of Iraq into
this umbrella. I think we have put the lie to
the supposition that the Iraqi opposition cannot
be united. I think many people thought this
conference would collapse and be in disarray. We
are here today to show you that the Iraqi
opposition, the Iraqi people, are united and
that they are working together and will continue
to work together to fight the regime.
/// END ACT ///
The United States has offered to help the Iraqi
National Congress by providing military training and
office equipment.
U-S Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs
Thomas Pickering told the closing session of the
conference the United States is ready to provide the
first five million dollars worth of aid to the Iraqi
people through the Iraqi National Congress.
/// PICKERING ACT ///
We are beginning immediately with the kinds of
support that your movement most urgently needs
and can now most readily absorb. That is, we are
offering the basic information and operational
infrastructure essential to an effective
international political movement, whose main
weapon against the oppressor must be the truth.
/// END ACT ///
Further U-S assistance, including weapons, has not
been ruled out. But Clinton Administration officials
say the opposition groups must first show they can act
in unity toward the common goal of overthrowing Saddam
Hussein.
/// REST OPT ///
Another member of the coalition's new leadership team,
Ahmed Chalabi, says the opposition group will work
with the United States in a series of careful steps to
prepare for a move against Saddam Hussein.
/// CHALABI ACT ///
The point here is that we do not want to get a
bunch of guns and go blazing into the sunshine.
The point is that we need to work carefully to
prepare ourselves and our forces to make
effective use of U-S assistance. May I say this
also? Military assistance is not about guns
only. Guns are the final phase. Other things are
more important as this stage. And that is what
we need.
/// END ACT ///
A spokesperson for the Iraqi National Congress says
the opposition welcomes outside help but stresses that
any change in Iraq will come from the Iraqi people.
(Signed)
NEB/BJS/LSF/TVM/gm
01-Nov-1999 16:00 PM EDT (01-Nov-1999 2100 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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