US Attack on Iraq Not Imminent: British Foreign Secretary

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Tuesday, April 02, 2002

US Attack on Iraq Not Imminent: British Foreign Secretary

British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw said on Tuesday that the United States' planned military action against Iraq was not imminent.

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British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw said on Tuesday that the United States' planned military action against Iraq was not imminent.

Straw told a BBC Radio program that he did not think the Bush administration was preparing to launch an offensive against Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein's regime despite widespread speculation.

"As to this issue of military action toward Iraq, I do not believe that it is imminent," he said.

"When the decision is to be made, people will of course be taken into confidence, but I do not believe that the moment for that has arisen," he added.

There are widespread speculations currently floating that Iraq would be the next target of the U.S.-led campaign against terrorism, after U.S. President George W. Bush labeled Iraq as part of the "axis of evil."

Britain, which has offered the strongest support to Washington in its campaign against terrorism, is expected to be involved if there are operations against Iraq.

However, the British government is under great pressure concerning the U.S.-planned attacks on Iraq. A number of cabinet ministers and back-bench parliament members from the ruling Labor Party had made it clear that they would not support any military action against Iraq, saying such action is against international law.

British Prime Minister Tony Blair is scheduled to visit Washington later this week. The anti-terrorist campaign and the situation in Iraq are expected to top the agenda of talks betweenBlair and Bush.

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