Iraq’s President, Saddam Hussein has confirmed that Baghdad will "deal with" UN Security Council Resolution 1409 but accused the United States of seeking to obstruct Iraq's progress by claiming to ease the flow of civilian goods, the official INA news agency reported.
"The United States introduced this resolution which purports to make it easier for the Iraqi people to secure their humanitarian needs but in reality (seeks to) hinder Iraq's progress and its quest to develop its scientific and technical capabilities," he told a cabinet meeting overnight.
Washington resorted to "deception" after "losing (its) battle" to stymie Iraq's progress, Saddam said. The United States was "dismayed to find out that Iraqi universities were functioning and professors were even more determined to pursue their role to boost their country's development," the Iraqi leader added.
Saddam confirmed Thursday's official announcement that Baghdad had decided to "deal with" Resolution 1409 in conjunction with the "oil-for-food" program that allows sanctions-stricken Iraq to export crude under UN supervision and use part of the revenue to buy essential goods.
Resolution 1409, adopted unanimously by the Security Council on Tuesday, seeks to free up the delivery of humanitarian supplies while maintaining the arms embargo imposed on Iraq along with trade sanctions when it invaded Kuwait in August 1990.
Saddam said that by accepting Resolution 1409, Baghdad would prevent the United States from continuing to block imports into Iraq through the sanctions committee, where "more than five billion dollars worth of contracts remain on hold."
The United States "remains the Security Council power capable of much foolishness with no other power able to seriously stand up to it," the Iraqi President stated. (Albawaba.com)
© 2002 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
