DATE=1/17/2000
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=IRAQ ANNIVERSARY (L)
NUMBER=2-258139
BYLINE=SCOTT BOBB
DATELINE=CAIRO
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: Iraqi President Saddam Hussein has observed
the ninth-anniversary of the beginning of the Gulf war
with a defiant speech in which he urges his people to
remain steadfast in the face of international
sanctions. The government of Kuwait, which was
invaded by Iraq prior to the war, also observed the
anniversary, saying it still feels threatened by its
neighbor. Correspondent Scott Bobb reports from our
Middle East Bureau in Cairo.
TEXT: Thousands of Iraqis demonstrated in Baghdad to
mark the ninth anniversary of what the Iraqi
leadership calls the victory in the Gulf war.
President Saddam Hussein told his people in a
televised message not to lose hope, despite what he
acknowledged have been many sacrifices during 10-years
of economic sanctions.
/// HUSSEIN ACT - IN ARABIC - FADE UNDER ///
The Iraqi president said the heads of Arabs and Iraqis
are still high and proud because of the struggle. He
vowed defiance, saying despite international scheming,
Iraqis will not bow.
The Iraqi leader's message, laced with religious
references and military exhortations, did not make
specific references to any country. And it did not
mention a compromise resolution passed by the U-N
Security Council one-month ago that proposes to end
sanctions against Iraq in return for cooperation with
U-N weapons inspectors.
/// OPT /// The resolution was passed after months of
deadlock in the Security Council. Three permanent
members -- China, France, and Russia -- abstained from
the vote, reportedly to demonstrate their
dissatisfaction over continuing the sanctions. Other
members, like Britain and the United States,
reportedly wanted stronger guarantees of Iraqi
compliance with a proposed new weapons inspections
program before sanctions would be eased.
Iraq has rejected the new resolution as meaningless
because it does not remove sanctions unconditionally.
The sanctions were imposed after Iraq invaded Kuwait
in August 1990. Iraq says more than one-million
Iraqis have died because of disease and malnutrition
due to the sanctions. /// END OPT ///
The government of Kuwait, whose occupation by Iraq
brought on the sanctions, also noted the anniversary
by saying it believes Iraq is still a threat.
Kuwait's Defense Minister, Sheikh Salem al-Sabah, said
his government still does not trust Iraq because the
leadership has not changed.
Meanwhile, a team of U-N petroleum experts arrived in
Baghdad to assess Iraq's need for spare parts for its
oil industry, which has been badly hurt by the
sanctions.
Iraq is allowed to export five-billion-dollars worth
of oil every six-months in order to buy food,
medicine, and other non-military goods. But, the
Iraqi government complains that many import requests
are refused or delayed by a U-N special committee
because of allegations these imports could be used for
military purposes. (SIGNED)
NEB/SB/JWH/RAE
17-Jan-2000 11:09 AM EDT (17-Jan-2000 1609 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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