POWELL: USA WILL FIND A WAY TO BLOCK INSPECTIONS

POWELL: USA WILL FIND A WAY TO BLOCK INSPECTIONS

In an unbelievable act of sheer and unadulterated arrogance, meddling and bullying demonstrating an utter disrespect not only for the UNO but for the international community as a whole, the Bush administration has made it clear that unless the UN Security Council makes a stronger resolution stipulating how the Iraqi regime should behave during the inspections, these will not go ahead and therefore the USA will have a free hand to launch a unilateral strike.

Powell made his speech to a Congress Committee, in which he declared that if Iraq does not comply with the weapons inspectors, it will suffer the consequences. One question is if Iraq complies with the UN resolution to send inspectors and the rules laid out under this agreement. Another is the USA carefully wording a new resolution, demanding conditions which it will be impossible for Baghdad to accept. This is what is being done behind the scenes.

Meanwhile, Hans Blix, the head of the UN inspection team, has declared that the inspections will begin in Iraq on 15th October and that the operation is expected to take until February 15th, 2003.

Iraqi Foreign Minister Naji Sabri read out a message from His Excellency President Saddam Hussein to the UN General Assembly, in which he accused the US President of lying, fabricating evidence that Iraq has weapons of mass destruction, which is not true, according to Baghdad. The position of Russia and other leading nations in the international community is to let the weapons inspection team carry out their duty and decide for themselves whether or not it is Baghdad or Washington that is telling the truth.

Timothy BANCROFT-HINCHEY
PRAVDA.Ru

http://english.pravda.ru/main/2002/09/20/36930.html



US threat to stop Iraq inspections

The American Secretary of State, Colin Powell, has said the United States will find ways to stop weapons inspectors going back to Iraq unless there is a new United Nations Security Council resolution on the issue.

Addressing a Congressional committee, Mr Powell said the Security Council must spell out to Iraq the serious consequences if it fails to co-operate with the inspectors.

The BBC State Department correspondent Jon Leyne says the US is in effect giving an ultimatum to the Security Council.

The development came as the chief UN arms inspector, Hans Blix, told the Security Council he hoped to have an advance party in Iraq on 15 October.

Mr Blix later told reporters an advance party would go there "as soon as possible".

"We will select some sites that we think are interesting to go to in the early phases," he said, "so it's not like it takes two months before we can send any guys out there in the field. It will be much earlier than that."


Sabri read Saddam's letter to the General Assembly

At the UN, Iraqi Foreign Minister Naji Sabri delivered a message from President Saddam Hussein, accusing Washington of lying about Iraq's weapons.

Saddam Hussein insisted that Baghdad does not possess chemical, biological or nuclear weapons.

His letter also appeared to qualify Baghdad's surprise announcement on Monday that the UN could resume unfettered weapons inspections.


He said any inspectors must respect arrangements on Baghdad's "sovereignty and security", raising fears that Iraq might prevent access to so-called presidential sites and other sensitive areas.

Congress pressed

The White House called the statement disappointing.

Earlier, President Bush sent a draft resolution to Congress, asking it to authorise all necessary and appropriate means to ensure Iraqi compliance with UN resolutions and to restore peace and security to the region.

Mr Bush also urged the UN Security Council to deal with Iraq - or the United States and its allies would, he said.

Mr Bush said negotiations with the Iraqis were over.

As part of his lobbying effort, Mr Bush met nine Democratic and Republican members of Congress on Thursday.


Bush: Congressional resolution will send a vital message

They emerged predicting bipartisan support for Mr Bush.

"I think we have no choice but to have the strongest support possible for the president's efforts here," said Representative Norm Dicks.

Senior members of Congress have made clear they will back the congressional resolution sought by the administration.

But they also warned that some Democrats may vote against it.

The administration hopes to have both Houses of Congress pass the resolution within the next two weeks.

Mr Bush called on the UN Security Council to "work with the United States and other concerned parties to send a clear message that we expect Saddam to disarm".

He added: "If the United Nations Security Council won't deal with the problem, the United States and some of our friends will."

Tough opposition

Mr Bush was speaking after talks with Secretary of State Colin Powell about efforts to draft a separate UN Security Council resolution on Iraq.


: Who backs war?


Where the world stands on Iraq


Mr Powell later told the House International Relations Committee that any new UN resolution must spell out the "decisive consequences" Baghdad would face if it fails to disarm.

He said Washington would find ways to thwart any attempt to return the inspectors without any such resolution.

The US faces opposition in the Security Council on the Iraqi issue - notably from Russia and France which have veto power.

President Bush is to meet the Russian foreign and defence ministers at the White House on Friday in an effort to persuade them not to trust Saddam Hussein's offer to allow weapons inspectors back.

Iraq, for its part, has strongly condemned American threats of military action.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/2269462.stm