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15 May 2003

Larson Previews Economic Road Ahead in Iraq

(Calls transparent government key to overcoming Ba'athist legacy) (5100)
A transparent and accountable Iraqi government will help to tap the
country's vast human and resource potentials, and bring about
political freedom and a market-based economy, said Under Secretary of
State for Economic, Business and Agricultural Affairs Alan Larson.
Larson, speaking before the House International Relations Committee
May 15, said the task ahead in Iraq could be described more accurately
as "rehabilitation, renewal and transformation" than as
"reconstruction." He said the country is "potentially wealthy" in
terms human and natural resources, but has been mismanaged under
Ba'ath party rule.
"Saddam's regime continually put political favoritism and personal
enrichment above the needs of the Iraqi people. That way of doing
business is now over. The U.S. and our coalition partners will put the
Iraqi people first. We are confident that a new, representative Iraqi
authority will do the same," said Larson.
"Remarkably little new damage" was made to the country's
infrastructure either as a result of coalition military activity or
sabotage by Saddam Hussein's outgoing regime, said Larson. Also, the
country is not facing a famine or shortage of food, he said.
The coalition forces inside Iraq are now primarily concerned with
ending the looting and restoring a stable environment and
infrastructure, he said. He mentioned that 10,000 Iraqi police
officers had been rehired and the country's criminal court had resumed
legal proceedings. Oil production has initially been restored and
emergency payments have been made to more than 500,000 civil servants,
he said, adding that funds have been approved for another 500,000.
"The U.S. has provided over $600 million in humanitarian and
reconstruction assistance already, including some $500 million to the
United Nations, primarily for the World Food Programme (WFP)," said
Larson.
Many challenges lie ahead to help the Iraqis transform their system
from a planned "statist" economy into one where is it "driven by the
free choices of families and businesses, not the dictates of a corrupt
elite," he said, adding that officials from Central and Eastern Europe
had expressed an interest in sharing "lessons learned" from similar
experiences following the end of communism.
"[E]conomic freedoms and political freedoms are mutually reinforcing,"
said Larson. "Free markets require individuals to make rational
informed choices, to think critically, and to act independently within
the rule of law and the rules of the marketplace. At the same time,
unless there is a system of justice, and unless people feel they have
a stake in the country and its system, there cannot be a lasting or
prosperous free market."
Larson also called upon the United Nations Security Council to quickly
approve the resolution introduced May 9 which he said would eliminate
"outdated" sanctions on Iraq, define the role of the United Nations,
and encourage the international community to play a constructive role
in building "a free and peaceful Iraq."
"The stakes are high," Larson told Congress. "Iraqis have an
opportunity to unleash a force for good in the region -- inspiring
political reforms, invigorating markets and stimulating growth."
Following is the text of Under Secretary Larson's prepared testimony
to the House International Relations Committee:
(begin text)
Committee on International Relations 
U.S. House of Representatives 
Washington, D.C. 20515-0128
Under Secretary of State for Economic, Business and Agricultural
Affairs
Alan P. Larson
Testimony before the House International Relations Committee
U.S. Policy Toward Iraq
May 15, 2003
Chairman Hyde, Ranking Member Lantos, Members of the Committee, I
appreciate the opportunity to appear before you today, on a subject
which is of great importance to all of us as we seek to help Iraqis
establish the foundations of a government, economy, and society that
will never again threaten its own people, the security of the region
or the world with weapons of mass destruction or unprovoked
aggression.
In January, President Bush established the Office of Reconstruction
and Humanitarian Assistance (ORHA) under the authority of the
Department of Defense to consolidate and prepare to implement the
various plans for post-conflict Iraq that we had generated in the
interagency process. Our planning efforts did not prejudge the need
for military action -- in fact, as we worked on humanitarian relief
and reconstruction plans for a conflict scenario, we also vigorously
pursued the peaceful disarmament of Iraq through diplomatic means.
However, we all know now the decision Saddam took to continue his
defiance of the international community, and the results of the
coalition's successful military action that ended his reign over the
Iraqi people. At the President's direction, the Department of State
and other executive branch agencies are providing continued support to
ORHA and the Defense Department's efforts on the ground in Iraq. We
have done so by providing a number of highly qualified individuals,
many with experience in the region and much needed language skills.
On February 26, President Bush outlined a vision of a democratic Iraq,
and made clear that the United States would accept its
responsibilities to help the Iraqi people get back on their feet after
decades of Saddam's tyranny: "Rebuilding Iraq will require a sustained
commitment from many nations, including our own." The U.S. is
committed to supporting the establishment of an Iraq united within its
borders, with a government by, for and of the Iraqi people, free from
weapons of mass destruction (WMD) and at peace with its neighbors, in
which the rule of law and human rights are respected, and where
individuals no longer live in fear of the knock of the secret police
at the door. We will stay in Iraq as long as necessary to accomplish
our goals, but not a day longer.
We know that political freedom will not emerge in a vacuum; it must be
supported by a prosperous, vibrant economy that provides opportunities
for all Iraqis and ensures that the wealth of the country is never
again wasted on weapons of mass destruction, wars of aggression, or
the obscene interests of a few. Iraqis need not be told this, for they
know it already. At the April 28 meeting of between 250 and 300 Iraqis
in Baghdad, organized to foster discussion among Iraqis on their
political future, Shi'a cleric Iyad Jamal Al Din said: "Democracy is a
package, and a future democratic Iraq must be based on a free press, a
free market, respect for human rights, and separation of powers. These
things go together; either accept them all or reject them all." The
U.S. is committed to assisting Iraqis accept them all. We are not
alone in this effort. Other countries are with us on the ground or
have otherwise signaled their commitment to working together with us
to help Iraqis rebuild and renew their country.
In recent days, with the unearthing of mass graves and the telling of
stories long buried by Saddam's regime, we are just beginning to
understand the totality of Saddam's political violence. Similarly, I
would like to sketch what I think are the full dimensions of the
economic disaster Saddam's regime brought upon the Iraqi people. Then,
after some thoughts on a couple of core reconstruction goals viewed
from 30,000 feet, I will briefly discuss some of our efforts with the
international community and on the ground as we help Iraqis make their
future a more prosperous and stable one.
Where We Are Today
President Bush initiated military operations against Iraq eight weeks
ago to the day. In that relatively short period of time, a great deal
has already been accomplished, not only militarily. In a seven-month
interagency planning process for Iraq relief and reconstruction, the
Administration worked very hard to ensure that we did not create an
artificial distinction between "humanitarian relief" and
"reconstruction" efforts. The transition from relief to reconstruction
is a misnomer -- reconstruction and post-conflict activities began on
day one working hand in hand with humanitarian response.
As a result of the planning and execution of a superb military plan,
extensive humanitarian contingency planning and the remarkable efforts
of numbers of Iraqis, there was remarkably little new damage to Iraq's
civilian infrastructure as a result either of coalition military
action or the deliberate actions of Saddam's regime on its way out the
door.
There is no famine; no shortage of food. Working closely with the
World Food Program, the coalition is reestablishing the public
distribution system (PDS) throughout Iraq as areas become permissive.
The coalition is also using the PDS to deliver needed goods, like
liquid propane gas (LPG), and will restart delivery of rations through
the system as food arrives and the security situation further
stabilizes.
Today, our primary concern remains the establishment of a secure and
stable environment, ending the continued looting and the restoration
of basic infrastructure. We are providing both military and civilian
resources to make this a reality. Ten thousand Iraqi police officers
have been put back on the street, and Iraq's Criminal Court resumed
legal proceedings last Thursday. A Department of Justice-led
international team of senior level criminal justice sector experts is
about to begin a program of assistance that will include at the outset
a comprehensive assessment of the courts, prosecution, police, and
prison systems. The assessment will help a collaborative effort among
experts from Iraq, the Departments of Justice and State and other
nations to determine the level and kinds of assistance the Iraqi
people will need to reconstitute an effective and fair criminal
justice system, and to design and implement programs toward that end.
We, and the international community, are prepared to send into Iraq as
many advisers, technicians, and other specialists as necessary in this
endeavor.
Getting Iraqis back to work has also been a key objective. Emergency
payments have been approved for over one million Iraqi civil servants
to facilitate their return to work, and the coalition has already made
those payments to more than 500,000. In the vital oil sector, initial
production has been restored by more than 12,000 workers who have
returned to work.
There are a number of factors that have been important in achieving
our immediate objectives, but I would like to focus briefly on two.
First, as a result of Congressional action on the President's wartime
supplemental request, we are quickly providing needed services through
contracts. The work done to restore Um Qasr port, including paying
local staff, hiring and importing needed equipment, is just one
example; but the improvements to the port will be critical in allowing
the continuing flow of food and other needed commodities into Iraq.
Ambassador Chamberlin will speak in more detail to this and USAID's
other extensive activities in support of Iraqi reconstruction.
Second, we must also recognize the important contributions of our
coalition partners, international organizations and non-governmental
organizations. The U.S. has provided over $600 million in humanitarian
and reconstruction assistance already, including some $500 million to
the United Nations, primarily for the World Food Programme (WFP).
Legacy of Misrule
There is no certain way to predict the total cost of Iraq's
reconstruction and, though we expect that Iraq will be able to fund
the majority of its reconstruction efforts, there is a clear
requirement for international assistance to meet Iraq's urgent,
short-term needs. Iraq is a potentially wealthy country, in both human
and natural resources, but Saddam's misrule has left a terrible legacy
for Iraqis. Under Saddam, the Iraqi economy declined dramatically over
the past 25 years. In 1978, Iraq had a per capita Gross Domestic
Product (GDP) equivalent to that of New Zealand, and greater than that
of Hong Kong and Argentina. In 2002, Iraq's per capita GDP was half
that of Argentina, less than a quarter than that of New Zealand, and
about one-eighth that of Hong Kong. Over the past 25 years, economies
around the world have benefited from innovation and entrepreneurship
driven by the market and private sector investments; Iraq's economy
has sharply contracted and become ever more repressed by the
centralized control of the state. Today, Iraq ranks 54 th of 90
developing countries in the UN Human and Income Poverty Index, behind
such countries as Jordan (ranks 7th), Lebanon (11th), Turkey (19th)
and Libya (27th).
Saddam manipulated the oil-for-food program to make vast numbers of
Iraqis completely dependent on the state-run ration distribution
system, forcibly evicted thousands from their lands, farms and
livelihoods, and destroyed families and businesses. Iraq's
agricultural production has plummeted; its vibrant business community
consigned to either doing business on the terms of the regime or going
empty-handed; and its oil resources have been underdeveloped,
literally held together by makeshift spare parts and the sheer
ingenuity of Iraqi technicians. Saddam's rule turned Iraq's schools
from honored centers of education into grotesque places of worship to
the Ba'ath party and Saddam himself. A whole generation of Iraqis has
been denied the skills necessary to compete in a modern world.
President Bush's determination to address the threat posed by Saddam
Hussein's defiance of his disarmament obligations has liberated the
Iraqi people from a murderous tyrant and created an opportunity for
Iraqis to transform their political and economic landscape. Referring
to the political and economic task ahead of Iraqis as "reconstruction"
is largely inaccurate; a much more accurate description of the road
ahead for Iraq is "rehabilitation, renewal and transformation." But to
be lasting and successful, it will have to be a transformation led by
Iraqis every step of the way.
Making the Transformation Work (And Stick)
Economic reform, like political reform will be a partnership between
an emerging Iraqi leadership, the coalition, and international
organizations. In this regard, we must set some fundamental goals to
guide us as we confront the many difficult decisions ahead. Focusing
on the immediate and the here-and-now is of critical importance, but
to do so at the expense of the vision the President has outlined for
Iraq would be unacceptable. Instilling transparency and accountability
into the foundation of future Iraqi decision-making is central to our
objective of ensuring that an Iraqi Government never again uses its
political or economic power against its own people, to launch wars of
aggression, or to develop WMD.
Transparency is at the core of our proposed UN Security Council
Resolution that I will discuss later, and it stands in stark contrast
to economic life under Saddam. The former Iraqi regime exported oil
illegally to finance military and WMD procurements and, as we have
discovered, hid the wealth of the nation in $100 bills in the walls
and floors of its palaces. Contracts were riddled with illicit
kickbacks to the government and payments to front companies. The
regime was so concerned about the ramifications of public awareness of
its economic dealings that it made publishing economic data a crime
punishable by death.
As security is restored, and an interim Iraqi authority established,
we will assist Iraqis in establishing a unified national budget. My
colleague at the Treasury Department, John Taylor, has been working
hard on this subject, and has a number of Treasury advisers already in
Baghdad. Oil sales in this interim period will be audited by
independent international accountants, as will the use of oil
proceeds. We will explore with Iraqis different mechanisms to
publicize information related to the financial transactions of the
state. Today we face a challenge in restoring basic communications
within Iraq. However, we know that improvements in connectivity can
and must develop quickly to facilitate increasing economic activity.
Iraq has been largely shut out of the Internet age -- as more Iraqis
gain access to the Internet, we will explore ways to use technology to
expand the public's access to information.
Transparency in Iraq -- in all of its governing institutions -- is
important to the international community, and it is a key factor in
attracting private foreign investment. More importantly, however,
transparency for Iraqis will build confidence in the emerging
political, economic and judicial systems and establish a precedent and
expectations from which future Iraqi governments will have difficulty
distancing themselves. Without exaggeration, Iraqis have an
opportunity to establish a transparent system that is without parallel
in the region, and could serve as a model for other countries rich in
natural resources.
Another key component of Iraq's transformation will be the
establishment of the legal and social framework for a market-based
economy. We will not need to teach the Iraqis anything about
entrepreneurship. As a report in the Washington Post last week noted,
with Saddam's regime out of the way, Iraqis have been quick to
establish booming businesses in once-banned goods like satellite
dishes. Individuals with satellite telephones have been renting them
out by the minute on street corners.
The international community, and particularly the expertise in the
international financial institutions, will play an important role in
helping Iraqis establish the ground rules for this new economy. After
years of a planned, statist economy, we will now help Iraqis plan for
the day when their economy is driven by the free choices of families
and businesses, not the dictates of a corrupt elite. We have had
discussions with officials and others from Central and Eastern
European states, who led their economies through similar transitions
over the past decade. These leaders and officials have a keen interest
in sharing "lessons learned" with Iraqis as they move forward.
Involving experts from other countries that have gone through sweeping
economic and political transformations will help underline a key
point: economic freedoms and political freedoms are mutually
reinforcing. Free markets require individuals to make rational
informed choices, to think critically, and to act independently within
the rule of law and the rules of the marketplace. At the same time,
unless there is a system of justice, and unless people feel they have
a stake in the country and its system, there cannot be a lasting or
prosperous free market.
In his speech at the University of South Carolina last week, President
Bush outlined an ambitious plan of economic reform in the Middle East,
and a commitment to strengthen our economic ties to the region. "By
replacing corruption and self-dealing, with free markets and fair
laws," the President said, "the people of the Middle East will grow in
prosperity and freedom."
Seeking Security Council Action to Lift Sanctions; Engaging the
International Community
In the Atlantic Summit Declaration of March 16, President Bush, Prime
Minister Blair and Prime Minister Aznar made clear they valued the
assistance of the international community in meeting the "solemn
obligation to help the Iraqi people build a new Iraq." President Bush
subsequently reaffirmed this approach in his meeting at Hillsborough
with Prime Minister Blair, where they called for the UN to play a
"vital role" in post-Saddam Iraq.
A critical step moving forward is swift Security Council approval of
the resolution introduced on May 9 by the United States, the UK, and
Spain. Passage of the resol ution will demonstrate clearly to Iraqis
that the restrictions of the past are behind them, and that the
international community will assist their efforts to reclaim their
country, not punish them for the crimes of the fallen regime. Saddam
treated the Iraqi people as pawns in his decades-long rule of tyranny;
the international community must now come together to demonstrate that
the needs of the Iraqi people come first as we move to address
critical issues in a pragmatic way. Our resolution does just that.
Our proposal is designed to do three things: lift the burden of
sanctions from the Iraqi people; define the vital role the UN should
play in Iraq; and encourage the international community to play a
constructive role in helping to build a free and peaceful Iraq. I
would like to quickly sketch our vision and the importance of the
first two objectives, and then address in more detail the third, where
I have focused considerable energy along with my colleagues from the
Departments of Treasury and Defense.
Our resolution lifts the economic sanctions that currently limit the
freedom of Iraqis to benefit from participation in the global economy.
UN economic sanctions on imports and exports of goods are outdated;
they were imposed to contain the threat of a regime that no longer
exists. They no longer serve a useful function. In fact, we know that
it is the actions of individuals and businesses -- operating in a
transparent, just, and open system -- that will set the course for
Iraq's future, and establish the economic environment for a prosperous
and optimistic life for all Iraqis. Continued imposition of economic
sanctions only hinders Iraq's recovery.
Our resolution also fulfills President Bush's commitment to seek a
vital UN role in all aspects of Iraq's reconstruction, through the
appointment of a Special Coordinator. The Special Coordinator will
coordinate participation by the UN and other international agencies in
humanitarian assistance and economic reconstruction, and assist in the
development of a representative government. The Coordinator will also
support international efforts to contribute to civil administration,
to promote legal and judicial reform and human rights, and to help
rebuild the civilian police force. There is a tremendous amount of
work to be done, and UN expertise will be instrumental. As a practical
matter, the Coordinator will serve as a principal point of contact for
the UN and UN agencies in working with the Coalition and the Iraqi
people.
In addition, our proposal encourages the international community to
support Iraq's political and economic transformation. The resolution
calls on the UN Special Coordinator and the international community to
support the Iraqi people in their effort to establish a representative
government based on the rule of law that affords equal rights to the
people of Iraq without regard to ethnicity, religion, or gender. It
also encourages the international community to support the Iraqi
people in building a free, prosperous and secure Iraq, including by
responding to UN funding appeals and providing resources for
reconstruction and rehabilitation of Iraq's infrastructure. It
welcomes the assistance of international financial institutions to the
people of Iraq, and mandates the seizure and return of assets stolen
by Saddam and his regime to Iraq.
We already are engaged in active consultations with countries around
the world, stressing the need for governments, the UN and
international financial institutions such as the World Bank and the
International Monetary Fund to bring their assets and experience to
bear in helping Iraqis rebuild their country. Many hands will be
needed to make this effort a success. Although we are still in the
initial stages of building this global effort, the response to date is
heartening. I and others in the State Department have met with
numerous foreign ministers, economic and finance ministers, foreign
assistance officials, ambassadors and special representatives to talk
about how we can best help the Iraqi people. There is intense interest
in an international event to build donor support for Iraq, although we
are still early in the process. And there appears to be strong
interest in supplying the contributions -- financial as well as in
kind -- that will be needed. A number of countries have indicated to
us the importance of UN Security Council action to facilitate
post-conflict contributions beyond immediate humanitarian relief
assistance.
Challenges and Opportunities "Down the Road" in Iraq
As the new Iraqi leadership moves forward to build a better future for
all the citizens of Iraq, there are a number of areas that pose both
important challenges and present real opportunities.
Iraq's abundant natural resources, particularly its oil wealth, were
misused by the previous regime as a political and economic tool of
regime power, internationally and within Iraq. In addition to using
oil income for wars, weapons of mass destruction and their own
personal comforts, Saddam and his regime created a sizeable level of
debt which will need to be managed. A new Iraqi regime will face the
challenge of developing Iraq's abundant natural wealth for the benefit
of all Iraqis.
Following the conflict, it has been talented Iraqi technicians,
engineers and ministry officials, supported by the Corps of Engineers
and U.S. funded contractors, who have quickly restored oil production
capability for domestic use and are steadily increasing production.
Future management of this sector will be a key factor in the success
of the emerging and future Iraqi political and economic leadership.
It is Iraqis that control the day-to-day decisions in the Iraqi oil
sector. That is true today, and will be true for the future. The
coalition has identified a senior Iraqi oil sector officer, Thamir
Abbas Ghadhban, to serve as interim administrator of the oil sector.
He will consult closely with both the coalition authorities and an
international advisory board, but he and his team will make decisions
on production, sale and marketing of oil. During this interim period,
the Coalition and the Interim Management Team will not engage in new
development or act on development contracts signed under the Saddam
regime. Decisions related to future development of the sector,
including the establishment of new export routes, will be left for a
new Iraqi government, elected by and responsible to all Iraqis.
And oil revenues must return to Iraq. Working with Iraqi officials, we
will help establish an Iraqi Assistance Fund in the Central Bank of
Iraq. All disbursements will be made with direct Iraqi participation,
and the fund will be subject to full transactional transparency by the
international advisory board and audited by independent public
accountants. Funds in this account will be used to meet the
humanitarian needs of the Iraqi people, for the economic
reconstruction and repair of Iraq's infrastructure, for the continued
disarmament of Iraq, and for the costs of indigenous civilian
administration, and for other purposes benefiting the people of Iraq.
It is vitally important now that Iraqis be allowed to sell oil and use
the proceeds to fund their humanitarian and reconstruction needs.
Outdated provisions relating to the sale of oil and restricting the
flow of funds to the Iraqi people need to be abolished. In the interim
period, transactions related to oil will be audited by independent
public accountants, who will report their findings to an international
advisory board that will include representatives from the UN, World
Bank, and IMF. To ensure that the Iraqi people are not penalized
because of Saddam and can receive the benefits of their national
patrimony, oil sales should continue to be immunized against
attachment by international creditors or others with claims against
the former regime.
Another challenge for Iraqis is to transition from the ration
distribution system. This system provides all Iraqis a basic food
basket every month, but it has decimated local agricultural production
and the market for food products. It will take time to convert this
centrally controlled economy to a free market. During the transition,
we will support food distribution through a public distribution
system. We also need to help Iraqis develop a social safety net to
help those who are truly needy. But we will work with the emerging
Iraqi political and economic leadership to lay the foundation for a
system in which the market -- not the bureaucrat -- determines the
prices and supplies of basic commodities.
State Department on the Ground in Iraq
Creating a stable environment means ensuring that Saddam's entire
ruling infrastructure and security apparatus is dismantled and
disarmed, including irregulars and paramilitary forces, locating and
securing WMD, and eliminating any residual terrorist infrastructure.
The situation on the ground in Iraq remains highly unstable. We, along
with our coalition partners, have created the Coalition Provisional
Authority, which includes ORHA, to exercise powers of government
temporarily in Iraq, including to provide security, allow the delivery
of humanitarian aid, and eliminate WMD.
The President's appointment of Ambassador L. Paul Bremer is an
important step in our efforts to rebuild Iraq. Ambassador Bremer will
report directly to Secretary Rumsfeld, and will oversee all U.S.
assistance programs in Iraq, including ORHA. There are currently
dozens of State Department employees working with ORHA, from a wide
range of bureaus. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Ryan Crocker
continues to support efforts to establish a new political dialogue and
has supported ORHA's and Presidential Envoy Zalmay Khalilzad's efforts
in the two regional political conferences that have started the
process of establishing an inclusive, representative Iraqi Interim
Authority.
In addition, the State Department's Bureaus of Near Eastern Affairs
(NEA), International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL),
Economic and Business Affairs (EB) and Democracy, Human Rights and
Labor (DRL) have been actively involved with ORHA for some time in a
wide range of efforts, including supporting Iraqi efforts in the
reconstruction of the criminal justice sector, the development of a
prosperous, market-based economy, the establishment of democratic
processes and protection of human rights. In all of these areas, and
many more, the Department of State works closely with other federal
agencies in support of our overall objectives in Iraq.
Along with USAID, the State Department's Bureau of Population,
Refugees, and Migration (PRM) is heavily involved in assisting UN,
other international organization, and NGO humanitarian efforts on
behalf of the Iraqi people. Prior to the conflict, PRM supported
contingency planning and prepositioning for refugees, internally
displaced persons (IDPs) and other conflict victims through
contributions to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the
International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), the International
Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) and the
International Organization for Migration (IOM). PRM has also
circulated guidelines for individual NGO proposals, and will seek to
fund a number of NGO programs that fill gaps in the efforts of the UN
and other international organizations, particularly in the area of
refugee returns.
The stakes are high. The men and women of the United States Armed
Forces, and those of our coalition allies, performed magnificently and
bravely in protecting America from a grave threat and liberating a
people. Now it is necessary to establish the foundation of a
prosperous Iraq, built around transparent and open political and
economic systems, and governed by the rule of law so that we can
ensure that Iraq never again poses such a threat to the civilized
world. Iraqis have an opportunity to unleash a force for good in the
region -- inspiring political reforms, invigorating markets and
stimulating growth.
Saddam's regime continually put political favoritism and personal
enrichment above the needs of the Iraqi people. That way of doing
business is now over. The U.S. and our coalition partners will put the
Iraqi people first. We are confident that a new, representative Iraqi
authority will do the same.
(end text)
(Distributed by the Bureau of International Information Programs, U.S.
Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)