Iraqi President Demands End to Sanctions on Iraq

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Sunday, March 09, 2003

Iraqi President Demands End to Sanctions on Iraq

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Iraqi President Saddam Hussein Saturday called on the UN Security Council to end the 12-year sanctions on his country after UN chief weapons inspectors delivered reports on Iraqi disarmament on Friday.

Saddam made the call in a statement issued after a top-level meeting to discuss the situation after chief weapons inspectors Hans Blix and Mohamed ElBaradei reported to the United Nations on Iraq's disarmament Friday.

"The sanctions on Iraq must be totally lifted after Iraq abided by UN Security Council resolutions," the statement said.

Iraqi officials attending the meeting included members of the ruling Baath party, the Revolutionary Command Council and the parliament, according to Iraqi television.

In their latest appraisal of disarmament progress in Iraq, Blix and ElBaradei viewed positively Iraq's destruction of dozens of Al Samoud 2 missiles, which exceed the UN-permitted range of 150 km.

But the chief inspectors emphasized the need for Bagdad to give full cooperation and compliance.

In the same statement, Saddam called United States and Britain "liars," blasting Washington and Downing Street for war preparation against his oil-rich country by making the case of weapons of mass destruction.

"After Iraq implemented the commitments laid down by the Security Council, the world has realized the real aims of the American administration," said the statement.

Saddam also challenged the United Nations to rid Israel of weapons of mass destruction and force it out of the occupied "Palestine Arab lands."

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US President Says US May Act on Iraq without UN

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