Iraq Opens Fire on US 'Propaganda' at UN Assembly

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Friday, September 20, 2002

Iraq Opens Fire on US 'Propaganda' at UN Assembly

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Instructed by Iraqi President Saddam Hussein, the country's Foreign Minister Naji Sabri read out a letter at the UN General Assembly slashing US propaganda as narrow-minded "lies, distortion, and falsehood."

Addressing to world leaders gathering for the annual UN high-level debate here Thursday in New York, Sabri read out excerpts of a letter by his president tackling "Iraq's position on the latest developments in the relationship between Iraq and the Security Council."

Denouncing the speech by US President George W. Bush at the assembly as "noisy propaganda," Saddam said the US President "in an arrow-minded view" presented the security problems of his own country, instead of paying attention to common issues of a particular concern to humanity at large.

"He portrayed this issue as if it were the most dangerous situation, not only for the life, security, and future of the United States, but for the life, future, and security of the whole world," the letter said.

Along with this "deliberate insinuations," the letter continued," he presented the utmost distortions on the nuclear, biological, and chemical threats, so as to make American citizens believe the deliberate insinuation that Iraq was linked to the American people's tragedy of September 11."

"The US President talked about the importance of applying democracy by the Government of Iraq," it said. "He pretended to care for the people of Iraq after he and other presidents before him have killed by the use of weapons, including Depleted Uranium, and by the blockade which is now more than twelve years old, more than one million and seven hundred thousand innocent Iraqis."

The purpose of those "lies, distortion, and falsehood," according to the letter, is to push the American public to accept the Bush Administration's "schemes of aggression," as if it were the solution or the necessary rescue that would allow American citizens to live in security and stability.

In seeking a cover for using force against Iraq when the world did not believe the lies trying to link Iraq to the September events, "it changed the issue and began to shed crocodile tears on international law, and the necessity to comply with the resolutions of international legitimacy, alleging that Iraq is not complying with Security Council resolutions, especially with regard to UN inspectors," it said.

"Now that Iraq has accepted the return of the UN inspectors, we will all be able to see how they work," the letter said.

Recalling Iraq's bad experience with the UN inspectors, Saddam said "some of the inspectors went on doing intelligence and espionage work that had nothing to do with the official mandate of the inspection teams."

The letter quoted former UN chief inspector Rolf Ekeus as saying that "the United States and other powers exploited the inspection teams for their own political ends, including monitoring President Saddam Hussein's whereabouts."

Addressing the opening of the debate, President Bush warned that his country is ready to act "militarily" against Iraq if Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein is not made to honor previous commitments to disarm and allow UN inspectors free inspection.

In an official letter to Annan on Sept. 16, Iraq said it would unconditionally readmit the UN inspectors who had been denied entrance since 1998.

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